Suffer like me
by Kuroi Diamond
Summary: After the events of her fifteenth birthday, Alyssa continues to be haunted and hunted by the Scissorman...
1. Encounter I

I undo the belt on my dressing gown and it falls away from my body with a rustle of silk. I gaze at the reflection of my naked body in the full length mirror and sigh.

Once upon a time, my skin was smooth and unblemished, pale as alabaster. My one real vanity, really. But now…

Scars brand me all over, their horrid pinkness looking like earthworms crawling across my skin. I shudder at the thought.

I'm lucky, I suppose. I'm obviously still alive and each of the scars were obtained fighting for my life. I know that many other girls like me, many other Ruders have not been as fortunate.

A horribly snide laugh echoes softly from the mirror and I look up in shock.

"Staring at yourself again, Alyssa? Aren't you the vain one?" the pale-skinned menace says and I barely manage to stifle a horribly girly squeal of indignation as I cover myself.

"Go _away!' _I try to be as quiet as possible, but my anger at him, no, _it_ is difficult to control "How dare you?" I can hardly believe that this _thing _has the nerve to invoke such magicks in order to torment me.

"Oh, what can I say? I'm a daring person." They reply, a malevolent smile on their black-painted lips. I growl softly in annoyance.

"You are no person, Entity." I say, and a frown instantly replaces the sardonic look on their face.

"But I feel pain just like you, Alyssa. I feel pain when one of your damned arrows pierces my skin or worse yet, when _somebody _takes my beloved sisterfrom me." The icy glare on his face scares me, I'll admit. But it's the thread of guilt that his words have spun that makes me look away.

"She tried to kill me… You all tried to. It isn't like I had a choice. I didn't ask to be born a Ruder… I didn't ask for any of this." I hate how sloppy, how wrong my words sound.

"I don't care for your excuses, _Alyssa.' _He spits my name like an insult "All I care for is that one day, I will cut your pretty head from your neck and avenge her." His dark, purple-red eyes seek out my own, and I feel a stab of his bloodlust so strong that my knees feel weak.

_Why is it that he can control me so?_

And suddenly he is once again his usual jovial, albeit twisted self and he flashes me a roguish grin.

"Until next time, fair Alyssa" he presses his lips to the mirror and crows with insane laughter which continues to ring in my ears long after his image has faded from the mirror.

I wait for an eternity, just to make sure he is truly gone before I give in and sink to my knees. Rebellious tears sting in my eyes and I grit my teeth hard.

"Damn it! Why do I still feel so bloody _sorry_?" I choke out to myself. I turn to look at the picture by my bed.

"Mum… It isn't right. They took you… They took you from me, but… I'm crying because I had to take his sister from him? It's not fair, mum. It's just not fair…"

He wants to kill me and I must kill him to stay alive, yet…

I can't help but be the one to pity him.

* * *

_The Delacroix's. The oldest, and most powerful of the Ruder families. Noted mostly for the defeat of the Entity Graymoth in third century Ireland, the Delacroix's have a reputation for sending the forces of darkness into recession for up to hundreds of years at a time. _

_During the Second World War however, the Delacroix family suffered a devastating blow. Francesca, the fourteen year old heir of the Ruder arrow, and her mother, Minnette, were killed during a German air raid in London. _

_Grief stricken, having lost both his loving wife and daughter, William Delacroix took his own life, leaving his seventeen year old son James to marry and try to ensure the next line of Ruder daughters in the Delacroix family. There were no guarantees however, that James's wife would indeed bear him a Ruder child, as the Ruder strain is almost always carried by women._

_Fortunately, most likely due to the high potency of the strain in the Delacroix blood, James's wife Marigold bore twin children, a boy and a girl. The girl went on to become the next Ruder warrior._

_And so the Delacroix family continues to produce Ruder heirs, the most current being Annette Delacroix who is Nancy's age. According to what Nancy has told me, Annette's powers are fading and she will soon wed. I pray that relations between the Delacroix and Hamilton family will remain strong throughout the future._

* * *

I wonder if Annette and Loretta actually dislike me sometimes. Especially in situations like this… They sit side by side at the end of the long breakfast table. I sit at the opposite end alone, trying to concentrate on whatever it is the cook has served.

"Did you hunt last night, Alyssa?' Annette asks. The rare times when she ever talks to me, it's always business. "Have you managed to defeat that dreadful Scissorman?"

I can't help but stiffen. She doesn't usually mention specific Entities and I am quite surprised she actually remembers our conversation about him…

"No ma'am. I didn't quite manage to get out last night. Too much studying." I say, glossing over the subject of Ralph… Scissorman. I wish I had never mentioned him to her.

Loretta sniffs disapprovingly and turns to her mother, cold blue eyes regarding me snootily.

"Mother, I do believe that if Alyssa is too tired to hunt when it's her turn, perhaps its best I take over one of her days?" She says and I feel a deep dislike for the girl rise in my stomach. Loretta, my fellow Ruder is obsessively dedicated to her heritage. She seems to live and breathe for destroying Entities and looks down on me for my life outside the walls of this secret war.

Annette actually looks like she is considering it.

"Well dearest, Alyssa must do her job too. I trust she will not let this happen again?" She says, turning her attention to me. I wither under her icy gaze.

"No ma'am." I say quietly.

After breakfast, I slink back into my room. Even the walk back is lonely, as my room is located in a completely different wing of the house, far away from Loretta, Annette and even most of the servants.

I sigh. Sometimes I like it better this way, as my privacy is never invaded. But other times… Other times I would just like to be accepted into the family that has fed and housed me for the past year and a half.

After the battle with Lord Burroughs, Dennis and I had decided that I would be best off living with him and his sister, seeing as the Hamilton manor had been completely destroyed. But we… We failed to realize just how quickly I would come under attack.

I couldn't endanger them anymore. And after consulting my grandfather's surviving diaries, I sought out the Delacroix's with my problem.

In all fairness to them, they did immediately take me in. They certainly had the means to. However… Their house has never become my home. I am an outsider in my own place of living and that hurts me everyday.

I suppose things wouldn't be so bad if it were not for the fact that I am constantly being pursued by that damned Ralph. I do not even know how he managed to return. Perhaps… Perhaps his thirst for revenge is all that really keeps him tethered here. Maybe it is because I didn't kill him with a Ruder arrow… I may never know.

To be quite honest, he is very different from the other Entities I face most days. We fight, of course. Me, with Ruder bow and arrows, him with his double blades. A good third of my scars are actually from him. It's just that… I am not so sure how hard he is trying to kill me. His constant attacking and bantering is because he cannot kill me yet, since my powers are at their peak.

I'm lead to believe that he is awaiting the day my powers weaken. He seems to try a different attack strategy each time we fight, probably searching for my weakest areas.

I… I am quite certain that he will be the one to end my life.

It came to me the last time we were engaged in a fight. I was tired, bloodied from shallow wounds and emotionally wounded from his comments. He was telling me I would end up just like my mother…

So… As he came towards me, his blades and X above his head as he prepared to slash downwards, I stood at the ready, waiting until he was close enough that my arrow would do the optimum damage to the area he had so carelessly left open, when…

_You can't beat him forever…_

In that moment, I knew. I knew it wouldn't be that day, probably not even that year, but one day… One day.

I froze completely, for such a long time that he managed to bring his blades down at me. I'm surprised I escaped with only the jagged scar that runs from my shoulder to the middle of my chest. I think I just managed to dodge backwards in time.

My arrow hit him, but badly. Slicing only shallowly into his side. He smiled as I clutched my shoulder in pain and a rose of scarlet spread from beneath my hand.

"Getting rusty, are we?" He said, his black lips stretching into a terrible bow.

That time… I woke up. I realized that I did not want to die, just because of my blood. To die as a Ruder means that I will be replaced and quickly forgotten. I'm certain there has to be more to life then this.

Ever since then, I have avoided combat with him.

Somehow though, the menace has utilized his power over mirrors to taunt me. I could try to cast a shielding spell over the mirror, but it would probably be too weak.

_I may as well just get rid of it. _I think as I enter my room.

The maid must have been in here already. Fresh sheets lie on my bed and pale sunlight streams through the window, from which the forest green drapes have been drawn back.

I glance wearily at the mirror, searching for a sign of my ghastly stalker, but all is quiet. I would not bet on that for long though. He craves my torment.

Maybe it would be best to throw something over the mirror? I have spare sheets, they could work.

I grab a sheet and make towards the mirror… Just as he decides to fade into view. He glances down at the sheet in my hands and cackles fondly.

"Oh, Alyssa. Throw that sheet over and I will just have to keep talking and talking and talking… All night long."

I must admit, he has me there. And I don't think I could stomach to listen to him all night. I throw the sheet down, disheartened and make for the door.

"Leaving so soon? Bad day? Want to talk about it?" His tone is mocking and it irritates me no end.

"Not with you, Ralph. Never with you." I say and reach for the door handle when he giggles softly, secretively.

"Alyssa, you almost broke my heart there. It was just saved by the fact that you finally used my name."

I immediately bite my tongue. I feel positively ill at my idiotic blunder. To recognize he has a name is almost like admitting he is still human, and that I refuse to do.

I try to think up a come back before he can taunt me more.

"Hmph. I was just thinking that with a name like that, nobody is going to be afraid of you, _Ralph._" There. That ought to do it. I'll be glad if I have wounded his pride.

"Their mistake, I suppose.' He says offhandedly, the insult practically passing over his head. "Besides, aren't _you _afraid of me, Alyssa?"

I whirl around with my mouth already open to deny it, but at the sight of his knowing smile I choke.

Oh god, his smug face makes me want to hurt him… So much that for the first time in weeks, I feel like attacking him without fear of death.

Before I can control it, I pull my rug off the floor, exposing the hidden portal I keep there for emergencies. I dig into my back pocket, and fish out the holy bottle. I never go anywhere without it.

Ralph is grinning maniacally and his eyes track my every move.

"Coming to visit me, finally? Oh, you're too kind, Alyssa." He says as I angrily slosh holy water over the portal. It activates with a hum of concentrated magick and I feel it draw me in.

The last thing I see before my view of the room dissolves is his white as death face and skull-like grin.

"See you soon, Alyssa…"

* * *

Why? Because I believe they should have beautiful, crazy babies together! I just said something stupid, didn't I? 


	2. Encounter II

She knocks one of my blades from my hands, using one of those infuriating arrows of hers. It doesn't really matter all that much, I can manage a one-hit kill with a single blade if I want to…

But where would be the fun in that?

"Come on, Alyssa! Is that the best, you can do?" I yell at her, twirling the blade like some deadly baton. She growls, charging another arrow, this time a repellent one.

How I adore bantering with that girl. She always gets so _angry…_

I'm sure if she knew just how enticing it is for me, she would try to control that gorgeous little red-heads temper of hers.

I calmly dodge the bright green lightening bolt she lets fly at me, spinning elegantly out of the way.

"Stand _still _damn it!" She yells furiously, attempting to lock on to me but I'm just too fast for the girl. I throw back my head and laugh at her.

"And let you sting me? I don't think so, my angry little honey-bee."

She screams in absolute fury at my use of her grandfather's old pet name for her. It seems I've hit a sore spot…

Oh, Alyssa. Don't get so mad. You should accept that you really are mine now. Mine to do whatever I want with…

Ah, but I mustn't give the wrong idea now. I do of course want to kill her. But I want to do it nice and slowly… Painfully.

_Little honey-bee, I'm going to pull your wings off. I'm going to hurt you and you won't be able to fly away. I'm going to make you scream, Alyssa. I know that you're cute when you do…_

"Scissorman!" She screams, stringing three binding arrows into her bow. Hmm, that's a new trick…

"Ooh, Alyssa! When did you learn to do that? And what happened to '_Ralph_'?"

She doesn't respond, too busy charging the arrows. I start to run at full speed towards her, blade at the ready.

"This is it!" She yells. Just before she releases the arrows, I raise my blade to her throat. Her eyes widen, but she doesn't make any sound.

Her arrows are aimed at me.

My blade is at her throat.

Neither of us moves.

I grin, loving every minute of it.

"Oh well done, Alyssa." I say and she twitches, but doesn't release the arrows. No, if she lets go of that string, I will fell her head from her shoulders and she knows it.

Then again, her reflexes are faster now. If I make the first move, she could dodge it and I will end up bound, at the mercy of one of her final attacks.

"Shut… Up." She whispers, a bead of sweat rolling down her temple. I can see she is exhausted and frightened… And it's beautiful.

"Why? This is the perfect time to talk." I reply coyly. Alyssa grips the bow tighter.

"What are you talking about, Entity?" She murmurs and I laugh quietly.

"Because now you'll have no choice but to listen."

Alyssa growls softly, but doesn't say anything more. It gives me a chance to study her up close. The last time I was this close to her, I was blinded by rage and grief for my sister.

Hmm… She's actually a very pretty girl. Not like my beloved Jemima, but in a different way. My Jemima was a dark, vicious flower. Alyssa is as bright as a candle.

Hehe, am I playing with fire? Perhaps, but it's so much fun.

I cautiously move a little closer to her. She notices, but her only reaction is a tiny step backwards.

"Scared, Alyssa?" I whisper. She doesn't reply.

Still smiling, I slowly retract my blade away from her throat. Alyssa looks confused for a second.

"What are you doing…?" She asks, lowering her bow slightly. Just what I'd been waiting for.

"Got you, Alyssa!" I cry, dropping to the ground and kicking her legs out from underneath her. She screams and accidentally releases the arrows and they fly off in different directions.

She tries to get up, but I place a foot on her stomach and she stops moving immediately. I lean down so that I am closer to her.

"Hehe, I'm the winner… Again." I say and am very surprised when she just smiles darkly.

"Last time you said that, you got impaled." Alyssa whispers and I frown, disappointed. I wanted fear, not… Not _this._

"Why aren't you afraid?" I ask and she doesn't reply, she just stares at me. I hate it! "Answer me!" I shriek. Digging my foot into her stomach hard. She cries out in pain and it sounds so beautiful I have to close my eyes for a second to savor it.

I want more… More of her delightful screaming and I crouch, sitting astride her waist.

She looks shocked through the pain, and then disgusted.

"Now… Will you scream for me again, honey-bee?" I whisper, running my blade down the side of her face. Alyssa lifts her arms to fight me off, but I press the blade to her throat, shaking my head.

"No, no… None of that." I scold and she drops her hands to the ground. I leer over her in victory…

"Burn in hell, Ralph." She says and suddenly I am blinded and in extreme pain.

"Argh!" I am thrown backwards in the agony and frantically wipe at my face. Then I realize what has happened; Alyssa's bow must have changed back into that wretched bottle after she dropped it and she threw holy water in my face.

That little…! She will pay!

"ALYSSA!" I scream, groping for her through my blurry vision. I can make out her shape, scampering backwards across the ground, not quite making it to her feet.

I grab her ankle and she kicks, but I hold on tight.

"No!" She yells, trying to twist out of my grasp, but she only manages to roll onto her stomach before I pull her back and throw my weight on top of her.

"Alyssa." I growl in her ear. "Suffer…"

I grab her shoulders, and force her onto her back. She struggles, but I restrain her by once more sitting across her waist and grabbing her wrists in a grip so tight, my fingernails dig bloody rivets into her skin.

She's screaming properly now, she's crying too. This is how it should be. And now… Now I'll cause her so much pain, she'll be _begging _for me to kill her.

What could cause her agony inside and out? What could make her wish for death…?

She head-butts me.

It doesn't really hurt, but it surprises me and I let go of her just long enough for her to push me off her, get to her feet and run.

"Get _back_ here, Alyssa!" I yell as she runs. I give chase, but she's headed for that damned portal. I cannot cross it, and if she reaches it…

Who knows when she will get the courage to return?

Ugh, she still has enough holy water to reactivate the portal. She turns back to me as she steps onto the portal, rapidly disappearing from sight.

I take some comfort in the fact that she looks afraid.

"You'll be _nothing_, Alyssa! Do you hear me? NOTHING!" I scream at her as she fades from view.

I drop to my knees, pain from the battle now catching up to me and growl softly to myself;

"You'll see, Alyssa… I'm going to make you into nothing."

I'll devise a new plan for her. Something more painful then ever before. I'll make sure she hurts so badly inside, she'll want to die…

I start to think, and with every new fantasy, I feel the lust for her blood grow and grow… I'm going to make her suffer.

* * *

Oh Jesus. I may actually be utterly mad. Like… Completely, totally out of my mind.

O.o

Help?


	3. Encounter III

KD: So I was watching vids from clocktower 2 the other day, and was all like "Holy shi-! So when did Scissorman decide to become gay?

Ralph: I know that was a crack at me. Now you die!

KD: Whoa! I'm not the one who killed your sister! It was her! HER!

Alyssa: Oh… Crap…

* * *

"_You'll be nothing, Alyssa! Do you hear me? NOTHING!"_

Alyssa stumbled away from the portal, falling to her knees and gasping.

_I… Can't… Breathe!_

He'd almost killed her, no, almost done something worse. She had seen it in his eyes. Alyssa had been more terrified then ever before and now, she couldn't stop shaking.

"Alyssa?" It was Loretta's voice at the door. Alyssa didn't know what she wanted, but she didn't want her to see her in such a state. She stumbled around, trying to cover the portal and wipe her tears away, but Loretta was already turning the door handle.

The frosty-eyed teenager took one look at Alyssa and said;

"It's Scissorman, isn't it?" It was really more of a statement then a question, and Alyssa nodded her head numbly. Loretta sighed, helping Alyssa to her feet and onto the bed. She sat down next to her.

"Alyssa… I need to apologize to you.' She said, shocking the redhead. "We both fight the same battle, yet I've made you feel unwelcome in this house. I… Know that you're special. Probably a better Ruder then me."

Alyssa could see that admitting this was hard for Loretta, yet she didn't understand why she was saying it.

"So… Why are you telling me this, Loretta?" she asked softly and Loretta turned to her, eyes blazing.

"Because he reduces you to this pathetic mess. A Ruder, someone so much more powerful, so much stronger then he is. I don't know why he affects you as he does, but it cannot be allowed to happen anymore." Loretta stood and looked down at where a patch of the portal was still uncovered by the rug.

"I will defeat him for you."

* * *

Ralph paced the damp cobblestones of the dungeon. Technically, it and the torture chamber should have ceased to exist along with the rest of Burroughs castle, but apparently his strong attachment to the place had been enough to bring it back along with him.

Why that could not be so for Jemima, Ralph did not know.

Perhaps another reason why the dungeon was brought back was the blood. He and his sister hadn't just spilt the blood of their pathetic victims from the village, no. They had split their own.

Both had enjoyed the feeling of blades parting their skin, they had reveled in it. It was to them a private practice that only they had known…

The twins had been so incredibly lonely. There was nobody else in the castle, the village, the entire _world_ like them. They could only find solace in each other. Killing together, cutting each other… Everything Ralph had done, Jemima had too.

_We were always together… Always…_

Ralph stopped pacing as a cruel tear rolled down his cheek.

"Jemima… Jemima…"

He didn't know how he had managed to go on without his sister. He missed her so terribly, sometimes even the revenge he lived for was void of any sweetness.

Nothing was sweet without Jemima.

Despite the delight she felt in killing humans, Jemima had had an affection for animals and when they were younger she would always cry bitterly if Ralph was ever cruel to her caged birds or tabby haired kitten.

Ralph sniffed. He was angry now. Angry that this place reminded him of her, angry that he was crying… Angry at everything.

"Alyssa…" He growled.

She should be made to feel his suffering. She had bought it open him, she needed to die. Ralph understood Alyssa had had to kill Jemima to live, but it didn't matter to him. He wanted her blood and more… He'd been made to stay in the world without his sister; Ralph knew he deserved to see Alyssa broken…

"I hope you're afraid, little Alyssa…" He murmured to himself just before a voice rang out behind him.

"Scissorman. I am here to kill you."

He turned and grinned. Loretta Delacroix stood there, hatred for him spread across her face. In her hand, she clutched a Ruder sword.

"I was wondering when I would get the chance to meet you…" Ralph said, stepping slowly towards her. Loretta didn't back away.

"Quiet, entity. I am here to fight, not to listen to your foul words. Be ready." She held her two-handed in front of her, eyes not leaving his. Ralph laughed.

"Fine. I just hope you are…"

* * *

So… I hate this chapter and its way too short. Just wanted to let people know its not a dead story. 


	4. Encounter IV

Hahahaha- I am SO sorry. My writing muse abandoned me, the cow. I have bribed her back with promises of higher caffeine doses and actually remembering to sleep once in a while.

Expect a couple of new chapters in about (six months) soonish and enjoy the new carefully chosen theme songs for each chapter. But expect a lot of Disturbed songs.

I really like Disturbed. ;

_Theme song for chapter: AFI – Prelude 12/21 _

* * *

Alyssa glanced out the window. The sun was just starting to set.

_Loretta... Where are you?_

She knew that Loretta was strong, but somewhere inside, Alyssa could not escape the gnawing feeling that she wasn't strong enough to defeat the likes of Scissorman. She wanted to believe it was not so...

Even though she knew she should seek out her sister Ruder, the thought of facing Ralph again immediately brought back the chill of fear deep in her stomach. She just didn't think she could.

"Please, please come back safe. Please..." She whispered, praying Loretta would step from the portal in a shimmer of blue magic, to tell her that finally, _finally _Ralph was gone...

But she didn't.

Alyssa's fear swelled in the pit of her stomach and she wrung her hands in despair. There was nothing she could do but go and find Loretta. There was no way she could face Annette should something befall her daughter.

Hands shaking, Alyssa grasped the delicate crystal bottle of holy water and splashed the portal once... Twice... Three times until it came to life with a hum of concentrated magic. She glared with tear-reddened eyes at her mirror, wishing a curse on Ralph and the fear he made her feel.

_Scissorman... I might fear you, but if you've killed Loretta, I __**will**__ make you pay..._

* * *

The girl was pretty much dead, which was a shame Ralph thought. She'd only stopped screaming a few moments ago.

Then again he had to hand it to her... She'd screamed longer and louder than any of the others...

"Lo-re-tta" Ralph sang, digging the tip of a blade into her cheek and twisting it. It pierced her flesh and he felt it clack against the fallen Ruder's teeth, but still she did not awaken.

"Hmph. I bet Alyssa wouldn't have given up yet.' He murmured, paused and then grinned. "_Speak and she shall appear_, is it?" He turned to look at the red-headed girl with his piercing black stare.

Alyssa did not meet Ralph's eyes. She could only stare at Loretta's pitifully broken body.

"What... Did you do...?" She whispered, visibly swaying. Ralph grinned, surveying his handiwork...

Loretta's body was maimed by a series of deep, overlapping cuts. These gruesome planes in the flesh wept bloody tears, staining what remained of the girl's clothing garish red and a darker rust colour where the blood had begun to dry...

"... How could you?' Alyssa's mouth was dry, and her stomach was churning, hot and sick "How DARE you!" She screamed but then choked, bringing her hand to her mouth as her stomach threatened to expel its contents. Ralph's grin stretched wider.

"I think she looks a lot better this way, don't you?' He crooned, caressing Loretta's blood-soaked hair. "No self-righteous posture, no arrogant talk..." He reached slowly for his other blade as Alyssa shook with rage.

"Don't touch her, Ralph... I'll... I'll kill you." Her hands tightened around the holy bottle and Ralph laughed.

"No, you won't. Look at you... You're _terrified_, aren't you?" he taunted. Alyssa tried to come up with some kind of retort, but her tongue suddenly felt too big for her mouth. Ralph picked up his blade from the table, letting it scrape ominously against the worn wood.

Alyssa's breath came in short bursts. She couldn't seem to retain enough air in her lungs. Facing him now, after seeing Loretta so broken, felt like suffocating.

"Ralph... Please.' She whispered "Please, let me take her home?" Ralph smiled, shaking his head as he took a step away from the table.

"She's served her purpose, Alyssa.' He said "She's brought you here to me." He suddenly raised his blades in an X shape. "Let's fight!" And he rushed at her.

Alyssa cried out. She just didn't have time to move before he barrelled into her and she was sent skidding painfully across the stone floor. She came to a halt next to one of the dungeon's gruesome torture devices.

Ralph clicked his tongue lightly "Nice defence, honeybee." He said sarcastically. It almost annoyed him that she was being so useless. Of course, seeing her so afraid was delicious, but Scissorman did enjoy a _challenge..._

"SHUT UP!" Alyssa screamed, raising herself up on bloodied knees "Just shut up, Scissorman!" She got up slowly, clutching an aching shoulder. Ralph smiled;

That was more like it.

As he ran towards her, Alyssa's holy bottle shone and transformed itself into the bow. She drew a green repellent arrow from her magical arsenal and shot it at Ralph. He dodged it, but as it shot past him, he could smell the deadly Ruder magic within it. Her powers had grown, even in her terrified state.

Cursing, Alyssa restrung the bow with another arrow, but she didn't have time to release it before Ralph was there in front of her, his blades coming for her throat. She was forced to release the arrow too early for it to do any damage and use the bow to block Ralph's attack.

Her shoulders strained with effort as he bore down on her. Sparks of magic flew from the friction of the twin swords on the enchanted bow. Alyssa could feel sweat on her brow as Ralph skull-like grin mocked her.

"Get OFF!" She pushed back as hard as she could, channelling her magic into the bow as much as possible. It glowed with raw power and Ralph was finally pushed off. He skidded backwards, but managed to stay on his feet. He smiled.

"Oh, you're so much more fun when you're angry, honeybee." He teased. Alyssa was panting, trying to get her strength back after her last attack. It had taken more out of her then she thought it would and she was angry at herself for misjudging it.

"Fuck... You..." She hissed and Ralph smirked.

"Alyssa, my heart bleeds... Just like I'm going to make yours do...' Blue magic flickered around his blades and he looked into her eyes "But I have more practical means then petty insults..." Alyssa paled as she realized what attack he was planning.

She had never been able to completely dodge the crescent-moons of razor-sharp magic Ralph could send flying towards her faster than he could move himself. She turned and ran, but there was nowhere to go...

Tendrils of blue magic surrounded Ralph's form as he watched the Ruder desperately try to escape. "I've a present for you, _honeybee..._" he whispered and then sent hundreds of small, but lethally sharp crescents of magic towards her.

Alyssa's heightened senses let her know without having to look that death was swiftly approaching her. She threw herself to the ground but as expected, was unable to dodge them all. She cried out as she felt sharp pieces of magic slice through the back of her shirt.

She felt winded as she lay on the ground and thought it was strange that her back wasn't hurting nearly as much as she had expected. But it was a trend with dangerously deep wounds; they never did feel quite as serious as they were. This was confirmed when she felt warm, wet blood spread from her back.

Ralph approached her slowly and deliberately. He smiled at how still she was, obviously in a state of shock.

"It seems you mistimed that, Alyssa..." He cackled as he got close enough to see the pool of bright crimson flowing from her back. Alyssa bit back a whimper as she moved and the wound stung fiercely.

If she didn't get up, she knew Scissorman would finish her right then and there.

"... Bastard!" she choked out, gritting her teeth and flipping herself over. A hiss escaped her lips as fresh pain stabbed through her. Ralph stopped a few feet in front of her.

"Honeybee...' he said "You're finished."

Alyssa opened her mouth to curse him, but no sound came out. She was confused for a second before she felt coldness sweep through her...

He was right.

Ralph smiled as a glaze spread over the Ruder's eyes and she slipped quietly down into a pool of her own blood, not dead, but the next best thing...

"Now...' he said, moving towards the fallen girl and scooping her into his arms "The real fun begins..."

* * *

Alyssa's eyes twitched and then opened a fraction. She felt groggy and exhausted. Letting out a little moan, she tried to remember a time when she had felt so... Drained.

Then, her eyes flew open as she remembered what had happened. She looked around wildly finding herself still to be in the dungeon and also... tied down to the very slab she had rescued Dennis from over a year earlier.

For a moment, she just stared at her bonds, stunned. How had this happened? Why hadn't Ralph just killed her?

A noise behind her made her strain her head to look, but the bonds made it almost impossible. She caught a glimpse of Ralph's back. He appeared to be busy with something, but her view was blocked.

"Ralph...?" She murmured stupidly and almost immediately tensed up. Ralph stopped what he was doing and looked slowly over his shoulder, a malicious smile spreading across his face.

"Ah, you're awake...' He said in an almost pleasant way that frightened her "I was beginning to wonder if you'd lost a little _too _much blood." Alyssa just stared at him and he shrugged, picking something up from the table and turning, but hiding whatever it was behind his back. Alyssa's eyes followed him as he moved towards her, keeping his hand hidden behind his back. Fantasies of gruesome blades and hooks filled Alyssa's head but defiantly, she pushed them away.

"Where's Loretta, Scissorman?" She demanded and Ralph waved the question away with his free arm.

"Are you really in a position to be taking that tone with me, honeybee?" He chided. It frightened her that she really was at his mercy, but Alyssa still glared at him, gritting her teeth. She was terrified, but she couldn't do anything more than pretend she wasn't.

"Just tell me where she is, you bastard!" She growled, testing the heavy shackles binding her wrists to the slab. They were made of an incredibly heavy metal and she could barely move her arms, let alone hope to pull free. She looked over to see Ralph's smile widening to something sinister and evil...

"You want to know where dear, little Loretta is?" He asked. Alyssa nodded curtly and he answered;

"Right here."

Alyssa stared at him in confusion and Ralph slowly began to move closer to her "You see, _honeybee_, with you unconscious I needed something to do while you were out and your fellow Ruder was all I had to play with..." He came to a stop right next to the slab, standing over her.

Alyssa tried to keep her voice from trembling as she asked her next question "What do you mean she's right here...?" She whispered and Ralph laughed.

"Part of her anyway..." he said, bringing his hidden hand forwards...

Loretta's face was grey. Her wide open eyes were devoid of any life and tears tinged pink with blood ran from them. Her mouth gaped and congealed black-red ooze stained her lips, her chin...

And the ragged, bloody stump of her neck.

Alyssa stared in horror at the severed head as Ralph's eyes shone with malevolent glee.

"Well honeybee, what are you going to do now?"

She began to scream.

* * *

Eep.

Uh... I promise I'm not a sick person, I'm just inside Ralph's mind a little more than I would like at the moment. It's all for your sake, anyway, I'm trying to get his character right...

What's going to happen to Aly? Oh dear... Well, I promise you not the same thing as poor Lorry.

... This does not mean for a second that I can't think of several things that are worse, however.

Cower in fear!


	5. Encounter V

_Music: Flyleaf – I'm so sick_

* * *

He'd just stood there. He had listened to her scream, cry, curse him, beg him then curse him again and he still wasn't doing anything. Nothing at all, with a little smirk on his lips.

Alyssa's throat was raw, her voice screamed away to nothing more than a hoarse whisper. It didn't matter. There was nothing left for her to say. She stared up at Ralph, her eyelids heavy with the tears clinging to her lashes.

And she waited...

"Better?' Ralph finally spoke. When Alyssa didn't answer, he continued on "Well, I hope so..." He began to circle the slab, Alyssa's eyes following his progress. He stopped when he reached the end by her feet.

"It's funny, Alyssa. I've waited so long for this, and now that you're exactly where I want you...' he paused, letting out a little sigh "I am at a total loss at what to do with you." Alyssa smiled slightly, more of a grimace.

"Let me go then." She whispered emotionlessly. Ralph grinned, but more or less ignored her.

"Nothing seems quite good enough for you, though cutting you to ribbons has its appeal...' he raised a blade so that it caught the dim torchlight "I'm just out of ideas."

"Don't let me force you to be creative, Ralph. Kill me and be done." Alyssa's sarcasm sounded utterly hollow and Ralph burst out laughing.

"Kill you? _Just _kill you? Alyssa, my dear honeybee, do you really think you're going to be let off so _easily_?" He rested his hands against the edge of the slab. He was too close. Alyssa wanted to pull her legs back, but the shackles prevented it.

"Well, what did you want, Ralph?' she spat "to make me suffer like you've suffered? How would you go about doing that, I wonder. Kill my mother again?" Ralph's sardonic grin changed to a dark glare at her words.

"Shut your damned mouth.' He growled and Alyssa blinked. Blatant verbal abuse from Ralph was a rarity and in her prone position, it terrified her more than usual. He continued on...

"Make no mistake, little girl, you _will _suffer and you _will _be begging for me to kill you. Don't think any of your words will bring you the mercy of me simply liberating your pretty head from your shoulders. Not before I give you a taste of what true pain is." Alyssa stared wide-eyed at the being in front of her for a moment. His usual manner, his twisted cheerfulness always hid the sheer darkness of the entity inside of him. She had faced him only on the battlefield. But this was a torture chamber. Here, he was truly in his element and she knew nothing of what to expect.

"Ralph...' She murmured so quietly he could barely hear it "What hurts more than being alone?" he opened his mouth to retort and was surprised when nothing came out.

"... Nothing, I suppose..." He was eventually forced to answer and Alyssa smiled that haunted smile again.

"Then I already know what true pain is." She said and fell quiet, no longer even looking at him. Ralph stared at her.

"I can still make you scream, honeybee." He whispered, his voice almost seductive. Alyssa's gaze snapped back to him and the fear in her eyes made him smile again. She let out a little gasp as he vaulted nimbly onto the slab and crawled over her, cat-like, until his face was hovering over hers.

"I can always show you the next best thing...' he said into her ear "what it feels like to slowly die from the inside out." Alyssa wanted nothing more than to sink into the slab right then, and be away from the insane creature above her.

"Stop it, Ralph..." She whispered and he shook his head.

"No, no. You don't get to tell me what to do..." He said softly. Alyssa trembled slightly and her words were hushed in fear.

"What are you trying to achieve, Ralph?" She asked, forcing herself to search his dark, dark eyes for some hint of what he aimed to do with her. She knew that probably, possibly he was only trying to frighten her more... But part of what made Ralph so dangerous was his unpredictability.

He grinned sardonically and jumped acrobatically off the slab, crouching down next to her and whispering in her ear.

"I might just leave you to think about that for a while, honeybee." He said and Alyssa felt a chill crawl up her spine as he straightened and walked away, not looking back at her. Alyssa's eyes followed him until he teleported off somewhere in his usual flash of light.

Alyssa let out a deep breath and shivered. Death was something she had been expecting. Something she had made her peace with a long, long time ago. But this...

This...

"Mum...' she whispered "I'm really, really scared..."

All that answered her was the sound of dank water dripping from the dungeon ceiling.

_Drip..._

_Drip..._

_**Drip.**_

* * *

Well, what do _you _think he's going to do to her? Hehehe- god, I'm going to hell.

Like actually straight to hell.

KD


	6. Encounter VI

I wake up to the shrill ringing of the telephone. Adrenaline immediately courses through my veins, making me feel sick and shell-shocked.

I fumble for the telephone with my left hand, knocking it off the hook. I manage to grab it on the second try and pull it to my ear. "Hello?" I say groggily and a tired, shaking voice answers me;

"Dennis Owen? This is Annette Delacroix." I freeze up. Alyssa's benefactor, the ice bitch herself, sounds afraid and I feel a prickle of fear on the back of my neck.

"Mrs. Delacroix? What's wrong?' I ask, suddenly afraid for Alyssa. A small rush of static comes over the line, Annette sounds like she's trying not to cry.

"Have you heard from Alyssa? If… If she is there, is Loretta with her?" she asks and I can't answer at first. Does this mean my best friend is missing? And if Loretta is too… Could it mean…?

_Scissorman._

"Mrs. Delacroix… I'm sorry. I haven't heard from Alyssa for two weeks…" I say. My throat is dry, my voice scratchy. I can't believe that my friend might be lying dead somewhere. An image of that psychopath laughing madly over her poor, broken body forces itself into my mind…

"Please… Annette, I want to help you. I'll find Alyssa… And your daughter." I say. Then I hang up, drop my head into my hands and try very hard not to think the worst has happened.

I get up, flicking on the light as I go to look at myself in the mirror. After working in Africa with Linda, I barely recognise myself. Instead of the freckly weakling I always expect, a tan, muscular figure stares back at me. It's weird, I guess, looking this different, but I'm stronger. Maybe strong enough to help Alyssa.

I couldn't stand to lose her…

* * *

The cold was so bad it hurt. Weakened by it, Alyssa drifted in and out of a shallow consciousness, her muscles aching.

Ralph had left her alone for a long time now. Her arms, held above her head by manacles, were plagued by paralytic cramps. Groggily, she thought if her restraints were removed, she still wouldn't be able to move for the pain. The cramps came and went, but grew steadily worse by the mounting hours… The long, cold hours, spent alone in the dungeon.

_Ralph… Ralph, you bastard. Come back and let me go… Let me go._

_Let me go…_

_Let me… Please, won't somebody let me go?_

"Cold, Alyssa?"

Her heart, beating sluggishly in the cold, skipped a beat. Alyssa knew it was insane, but Ralph's presence was infinitely preferable to the kind of solitude he had forsaken her to. Perhaps trying to unravel his intentions would be enough to take her mind off the crippling cramps and cold.

"Look at those pretty lips of yours; they're blue as a bruise…' Ralph teased and Alyssa felt his paper-dry fingers brush her lower lip. If she'd had the energy, she would have jerked back in surprise. Not because it was Ralph, but because of how gentle the touch was.

How long had it been since she had felt something like that…?

"Please…' she heard herself whisper and wondered momentarily if she had really spoken or imagined it. Ralph arched an elegant black eyebrow "Please… _What, _honeybee?" He asked, skull-like grin in place.

_Please don't leave me alone again…_

She clenched her chattering teeth against the words she longed to utter and hissed "Just… Let me go, damn it." Ralph's grin dropped from his face.

"How do you not yet understand that you're in my power now, girl?' he asked, torn between exasperation and admiration at her continued attempts to remain head-strong in the face of what she must surely assume was certain death.

"How do you not get that I won't _ever _be in your power, Scissorman? Not now, not ever." Alyssa forced herself to say and then gasped in pain, her frame wracked with muscle cramps. Ralph's grin shot back onto his face immediately and he seated himself beside her on the slab.

"Oh, _Alyssa…_' his voice dripped mock-sympathy like poisoned honey "You must be in so much pain. Tell me, does it compare to the pain of losing your beloved mother…?' He suddenly leaned in, his nose almost touching hers "Or shall we take it up a notch?"

Alyssa swallowed deeply. Having him so close made her undeniably frightened but she was surprised to find that compared to the icy coldness of the dungeon, Ralph felt somehow… Warm?

She turned her head as far away as she could. Alyssa didn't want to let herself think she wanted _anything _from Scissorman. She would rather crack beneath the cold than ever admit that.

"You're hurting… Shivering… Why don't you just ask me to make it stop? You might be surprised…' Ralph's dark eyes flashed with wickedness "I could prove… _Generous._" Alyssa actually managed a small, dry laugh.

"There's always a catch with you Ralph. Always. I seem to remember a certain incident… What was it? 'Save yourself and your friend dies or give up your heart and he goes free?' Something like that?" She sneered and Ralph winked.

"Maybe not in those words exactly..." He said and Alyssa's sarcastic smile slipped from her lips.

"How, Ralph? How are you still here? I _saw _you die…" She finally asked him, but instead of answers, she got a strange half-smile from the entity.

"Funny. I've been wondering if _you _had an answer for that particular conundrum.' Ralph said, his eyes searching hers. "Though, I have been thinking it's so I can make you do this,"

Alyssa's eyes widened and she screamed as Ralph suddenly drove the point of his blade deep into her right hand. He pulled it out again and grinned sadistically.

"Can't go too long without hearing that delightful scream of yours, I'm afraid." He said and Alyssa struggled to keep from whimpering from the pain that throbbed and seared in her hand. The sudden rush of adrenaline his attack had brought made her shiver even more violently than the cold.

"You know…' Ralph said, reaching out and undoing the shackle on her right wrist "With you being so much fun, I don't think I'm going to become bored for a long, long time…" He flashed another evil smile towards Alyssa's startled face and brought her hand to his mouth.

Alyssa lay very, very still as Ralph lapped the blood from her injured hand. She was no longer aware of the cold or her aching muscles, nor was she even afraid. Right then, Alyssa was only aware of one thing alone…

Her hand didn't hurt anymore.

-

-

* * *

Yeah, well, THAT'S because you're going Stockholm for him, biatch! Because you liiiike him licking you.

Maybe…

Sooo, Dennis? Yeah. I hate him. Makes me think of Ron Weasel-face McGee. Just figured, well, uh… It figures he'd have to show up at some point.

…

RALPH FOR PRESIDENT! (Because my choice of candidates would be infinitely superior to yours. Unless yours were like… Ghandi or… Someone. Ugh.)


	7. Authors musings

I am torn, constant reader (yes, I did rip that one off Stephen King. Don't knock the genius.) I am torn because I am utterly undecided on that one little thing that you, as the insightful reader, have probably already come to expect;

Ralph and Alyssa. Together?

Now, I am actually rather opposed to fan fiction stereotypes that just because one character is capable of tying the other one up, there is room for love or at the very least… Sexual relations.

I do _not _for a minute use rape lightly in stories, not anymore. I _have _used it before, but from now on, I need to be very clear in my mind why I am doing it. I will not use it to get more readers, (you look appalled, but you would rather read something featuring rape to something featuring My Little Ponies, so deal with it) I will not use it because I consider it sexy, (the greatest crime in the world is to invade someone's body against their will, I feel) and as is the most likely reason here, I will not use it because plot-wise, it seems _the only way to go._

Now, I have been thinking rather intensely about this and certainly, there is nothing sexy about _why _would Ralph rape Alyssa. In the context, to remain canonical, it would _not _be because he likes her, it would _not _be because he is attracted to her. Ralph would only rape her because it would be the worst thing he could do and still keep her alive. Torture, in other words.

So, that pretty much rules out rape in the form of anything but torture. I hope you'll agree with me there, unless you can find a hole in my logic.

So what else is there? Love? I don't think so. I know we would like to think otherwise, but these two pretty people _hate _each other, and rightfully too. She killed his sister, he tried to kill her, he's part of the brood that murdered her mother, etc. You really, _really_ don't get over that kind of thing. And if he was to rape her on top of that (I detect a slight Freudian complex to that sentence) I am sure their relationship, or lack of one, would suffer most irreversibly.

Lastly, there is companionship or perhaps, the remote chance of understanding and empathy. I think there is a chance for these things. I don't even think I have to justify them right now.

I hope, constant reader, that you are not disappointed. I have not promised anything and now, I am not promising to take anything away or even change the course that I am fairly sure you still think this story is headed in. I just hope that you can understand that I don't want this to just be another smut-fest. It was originally going to be. You'd be _quite _interested to get your hands on the deleted chapter or the alternate ending to chapter two, I am sure.

I won't deny you sex if that is what you are after. I am certain that there is just too much room for it in this story to be ignored…

Just promise me this; please don't try to control this story. I very much appreciate that you're reading it. It gives me those frightening warm-fuzzy things inside. I would just like to say that you do in fact have a lot of influence over what I make happen in this story and you are welcome to offer your opinions of what you would like to see, however, do not be disappointed if you expect something and it just doesn't happen. This is after all, my story. I am writing it mostly for you, of course, but a certain degree of it is mine alone and I feel, as your long suffering author, that perhaps you owe it to me to do in this story as I see fit.

Thank you.

Your loving friend and author,

-KD


	8. Encounter VII

_Massive Attack – Angel (Dude… It's creepier than it sounds written down)_

* * *

_Haze… Cold…_

_**Pain.**_

_Where am I? Please, it hurts too much. Just make it stop… Make it stop…_

_Please… Stop… _

"_I can do that, honeybee."_

_Who…?_

_I feel someone's hands on my arms. Warm, dry hands, so different from that chilling voice… Where they touch me, warmth seeps into my skin._

_A warm weight against me… Their hands on my skin… I feel… Could I be alright now? Could I be… Safe?_

_Their touch… Wait… No, it's suddenly rough. It __**hurts**__! My eyes open and I see him._

_Ralph!_

_He smirks and rolls me onto my back, sits astride my waist, I can't struggle, I can't scream!_

_Help me!_

"_Alyssa,' he says, his hands holding me down "Suffer."_

_And then I can scream as the entity forces itself inside me._

"No!"

Alyssa came to screaming the word, her body jerking upwards, pulling the shackles taught. She slammed back down onto the slab, knocking the air from her lungs.

Across the dungeon, Ralph grinned.

"My, my… What a nightmare you must have had.' He said, crossing the room towards his captive. He saw she was gasping, desperately trying to regain the breath she had lost "I'm afraid, though, that your reality is far worse than what you could ever dream about." Alyssa's eyes locked on his for a second and Ralph saw a wild, almost animalistic fear in them. Then, it was gone as the Ruder found her composure.

"I'm not so sure about that…" she said quietly, her chest still heaving.

Ralph smiled. She probably hadn't wanted to arouse his interest, but it was too late.

"Oh? Humour me, honeybee; tell me what you dreamed about." He said, resting his hands on the slab. Alyssa flinched away.

_I… Can't! _

Alyssa was terrified of what Ralph might do if he knew of her dream. She knew if he did, she would be lucky if he only mocked her for it, but the mood he had been in… Would he _act _on it?

"And, honeybee...' Ralph said seriously "I'll know if you're making it up."

Alyssa grit her teeth. Would he really be able to tell? What could she make up that he might believe?

"Did you dream of me?" Ralph asked and Alyssa's eyes flashed to him for just a second too long and she looked away in embarrassment. Scissorman grinned.

"Ah… I see.' He said as he bent over her, leering "It seems even I am not without my charms." Alyssa saw a smear of her own blood on his lips and felt sick.

"You have the wrong idea, Ralph. It was nothing like that and certainly nothing pleasant." She growled. He ignored her.

"What would they think of you, your friends I mean, fantasizing about your enemy like that? You're a bit twisted, aren't you?"

Alyssa flinched and blushed angrily "It was nothing like that, entity! Why do you think I screamed no? Because I was enjoying it?" She spat out. Ralph shrugged.

"Perhaps. Maybe you're just trying to cover for the fact you liked it." He said, winking at her. Alyssa turned her head away, already knowing how futile it was to argue against Ralph's teasing.

"You still don't even know what I dreamed, Ralph…" She murmured unhappily and he frowned.

"Come on… Don't turn away like that. I want to talk more."

_Well, more like __**play**__…_

"Just to have you cut down my words? I'd rather not give you the satisfaction." Alyssa said softly, already feeling tired.

Ralph felt a bolt of irritation. Having her beg him for death and taking away her will to fight were two very different things…

_Time to up the stakes._

"Say, Alyssa' he said, his voice suddenly sly "I've been noticing you're a bit uncomfortable. Wouldn't it be an absolute relief to stretch those lovely limbs of yours?" Ralph's pale hand hovered over the shackles.

The girl turned to fix him with a confused stare. Ralph smiled at how those cerulean eyes of hers shone with the effort of trying to figure out his game. He proceeded to unlock her shackles one by one.

"I can't have my guest becoming lazy, lying down all day…" He chided.

Alyssa tensed up, ignoring the pain in her muscles. What did he plan to make her do? Was Ralph hoping she would make a break for it? Alyssa was certain that with her body in the shape it was, the wasn't a fleeting chance in hell she would be able to out-run him…

Or was that exactly what he wanted?

"Care to play a little game, honeybee?"

His hand grasped her chin and turned her face to his. Though Ralph wore his trademark smirk, she could see it was tainted by bloodlust. More of it than normal. She shivered. The prospect of playing Ralph's twisted version of a game was daunting to say the least. Her lips suddenly twitched into a dour smile as the reality of this new predicament hit home.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Ralph…' She said, looking into his dark eyes "… No." Her words made his Jester's grin stretch another inch and he snatched up her injured hand into his own.

"Alyssa…' Ralph said, bringing the hand to his lips "You may not want to, but it doesn't change the fact that you have to." The touch of his lips against the wound caused it to sting intensely and Alyssa flinched, pulling her hand away.

"Stop it! Don't touch me!" It unnerved as well as hurt her. Alyssa could see what he was doing; slowly increasing the mental and physical torture over time. Ralph had only just begun and she already felt as if she was at breaking point.

And once she did… Only then would he end her life.

Ralph grabbed both her hands, now free of the shackles and slammed her right back down onto the stone slab. She cried out at the painful pressure on her wrists and began to struggle but seeing the look on Ralph's face as he loomed over her, Alyssa stopped dead.

"Stop being difficult.' He said, all traces of humour gone from his voice "don't you realise that the more you anger me, the more you disobey me, the longer I will continue your suffering? Alyssa, make no mistake, I am not about to turn around and kill you before I get satisfaction."

He hissed the words into her ear. Alyssa felt his cold breath on her neck and shivered, but whether it was the cold or her fear, she did not know…

"Ok…" She whispered and the pressure on her wrists was immediately lifted. Ralph let her up and even, to Alyssa's surprise extended his hand to her. She was too afraid not to take it and he helped her climb off the slab.

Alyssa winced in pain. It was heaven to be able to move, but hell to stretch out her aching joints. Ralph smiled lightly at her.

"I think a little exercise will do you good, honeybee…' he said, his eyes flashing. Alyssa bit the inside of her mouth. She had no idea what was coming next and was prepared for the worst.

"Alright… Let's play."

* * *

I know, I know. Nothing happens in this chapter. At all. What so ever. Except something that hints at sex. Woohoo…

In all honesty, I'm not sure what the game will be. I was originally thinking of tag, but have been toying with the much scarier idea of hide and seek…

Or something.

I'll let you decide.

Oh, and has anybody noticed that I totally base my idea of Ralph's character off Xellos from Slayers? Those two would really get along…


	9. Encounter VIII

_Song: Happiness in slavery - Nine inch Nails_

* * *

My clothes are ruined, soaked through with blood and sweat. I cringe at the feel of them against my skin and want desperately to bathe. He notices my discomfort and grins wickedly.

"Feel free to take them off if they bother you, honeybee." Ralph says. I bristle and look away, heat rising in my face. I am furious that he talks to me this way. It's just what a death row prisoner needs; added humiliation.

And to make it worse, I know I need to do something about it. This discomfort will only serve to distract me…

Linda was once a prisoner in Africa. Her work leads her to many danger zones and one day, she and some other missionary workers were kidnapped and held by a rebel group. Eventually, after they treated the rebel leader for injuries that would have otherwise proved fatal, they were allowed to leave, but Linda told Dennis and I that she had learned some valuable survival skills from her stint in captivity;

"_Firstly, sleep whenever you can for as long as you can. You never know when you're captors are going to up and start moving you around. You may not have another chance to rest for up to days at a time. Secondly, no food of any kind should be left behind. If you're not on your captors' good side, they're not going to spare anything to keep you alive. Try to remain hydrated, but watch out for contaminated water. Lastly, you have to try and keep yourself as comfortable as possible. You wouldn't believe how much discomfort can sap moral…"_

I glare ferociously at him. "Fine. I don't suppose you'd look away for a second?" I see a flash of surprise on his face before he grins with renewed malevolence.

"Not at all, honeybee, not at all. But…' He reaches out and catches my chin in pale hand "Don't try anything now. I'll know if you try to run." He says it with dead seriousness, his dark eyes fixed intensely on my face. I jerk my head back from his grasp and he winks at me. "Go ahead, honeybee."

I am relieved. There was no way I was going to turn my back to him. I shrug off the tattered remains of my jacket and study my blouse. I guess it will have to go. I remove that too and slip back into my jacket. The sleeves are ruined so I tear them off and then tie the jacket up as the buttons are long gone. I don't like the way it bares my midriff, but it is better than being covered with a sticky layer of old sweat and blood.

I look up and am shocked to find Ralph staring right at me, smirk firmly in place. "How long have you been looking?" I demand indignantly and he shrugs.

"For a while now. Bear in mind, Alyssa, you only asked me to look away for a second.' He leers wickedly at me "My, the whore look is rather fetching on you."

"Bastard..." I mutter, a deep blush rising to my face.

"Such a dirty mouth, too. I'm astounded, honeybee. You used to be such a sweet little thing…" I yelp as he wraps an arm around my bare waist and pulls me against him.

"You must be careful now, Alyssa…' he whispers, his lips pressed against my ear "You don't want to provoke me into doing anything… _Worse._" His breath is cold yet his arms are warm. I shudder and shrug out of his terrible embrace.

"You don't fool me, entity.' I say "I repulse you as much as you do me." But I am not sure how true this is and he laughs.

"Alyssa. Honeybee… You certainly don't know a lot about me. You don't know what lengths I will go to for my vengeance…' He takes a step towards me, a predatory grin on his face "You don't know how _exquisite _it feels to hurt you, all the time thinking off how I want to take this blade…' he holds up one of his twin swords so it catches the dim torchlight "and watch the look in your lovely eyes as I plunge it slowly into your abdomen. I want the pain to be so much; it robs you of your screams. I want to watch you _moan _and _writhe _as the cold steel moves inside of you. I want you to _beg _me to thrust it in as deep as I can and finish you because the pain is too much for you to take_…_" Ralph's face is less than an inch away from mine and I can't remember how to breathe. My heart seemingly refuses to beat and I am shocked that the urge to move away has deserted me completely…

"Alyssa…' Ralph breathes "You're sweating."

I blink and the spell is broken. I jerk away from him wondering what in the hell he did to me…

"We're not so different, Alyssa." He says softly "I can see in your eyes that you too enjoy killing." His words scald me and I want to _scream _at him.

"Shut UP! Don't you _dare _say I am anything like you!" He shrugs

"Don't take it out on me because you can't embrace the way you are.' Ralph says and then smirks "Or rather, do. I just _adore _it when you try to kill me, honeybee. It's so… _Sensual._" He cracks up, laughing manically as I stand with my hands clenched at my sides, shaking.

Ralph's laughter eventually dies down and he picks up his other blade from the table.

"I suppose we got a little sidetracked just now.' He says with a meaningful glance at my outfit "I almost forgot about our game…"

I feel a shiver run up my spine and manage to ask "What… Game did you have in mind?"

As soon as I have the words out, Ralph grins and throws one of the blades at me. I manage to snatch it out of the air, but wince as the motion pulls on my sore ribs.

"Never handled a blade like that, I suppose…" Ralph says "I thought you might appreciate learning how to use one in a little match." I stare at him and he raises an eyebrow.

"What's the matter, Alyssa? Can't deal without you magic weapons? I think it's about time you learn how to fight with nothing but your wits and cold, hard steel in your hand…" He raises his blade and swipes at the air so fast, I am sure he cut through it.

"_En garde, _honeybee."

* * *

What a strange little chapter. On the plus side, I managed to make deathage seem SEXY! Boy, am I proud of myself. Wait… Is that a plus side? I sure think it is.

Ralph is _really _starting to mess with her head. It's totally part of his game, the evil bastard.

-KD


	10. Encounter IX

Music:_ Devola_ -_ Hopelessness in sight_

A/N:_ Ok, so I know you're expecting a massive battle between those two, but it ain't gonna happen. I've been writing so many fight scenes for my Resident Evil stories that I just can't STAND to write another one, so there is going to be a massive time leap… But I will make it up with WEIRDNESS! Yes, so this story is probably the very definition of weirdness, but I think you might like it. It's probably the closest this story will ever get to having comic relief. _

(PS:_ It doesn't involve Dennis._)

* * *

Alyssa moaned in pain from where she lay on the cold stone floor of the dungeon. The pitiable sound made Ralph look down at her, a look of disapproval on his face.

Ever since he'd stabbed her through with his blade, she had been lying there in the same spot, bleeding out. He hadn't even hit any organs and she was just lying there, waiting to die.

Ralph _hated _that.

He couldn't believe that Alyssa Hamilton, the girl who had almost managed to kill him on numerous occasions, had just lost the will to live. Scissorman could admit that yes, given her situation it shouldn't be that surprising, but the fact remained that he _was… _And rather disappointed too.

Standing over her, Ralph tried to decide if it was worth tending to her wound. He wanted her to die, but not yet. However, he was just so _angry _at her… Scissorman supposed that to feel any sort of satisfaction, he'd have to keep her alive for a while longer, but in the mean time, he would _not _be happy about it.

"That fight was so very disappointing…' he sighed as he bent down next to her and pulled her limp body into his arms "Am I overestimating your abilities, or are you just genuinely weak, Alyssa?" He asked and was surprised when her arm wrapped around his neck so she could pull herself up. With her eyes level to his, she whispered something softly.

"What…?" Ralph hadn't heard what she said. He was distracted by how she didn't seem to be doing anything about their close proximity, which usually would be quite objectionable to the young Ruder.

Alyssa leaned in so her mouth was close to his ear and she repeated what she had whispered;

"Overestimate this."

Ralph pulled back in shock and pain as he felt cold steel pierce his stomach. Looking down, he saw the blade he had given Alyssa sticking out of his flesh. The pain was rather intense, but more so was the shock that she had _conned _him. She had been injured badly, but the little minx had actually managed to get her own back. Not only that, but she had done it by inflicting a wound upon him that mirrored hers perfectly.

"You… Little… Wench." He said slowly and almost fondly. Scissorman numbly pulled the blade from his belly and threw it aside, reaching shakily for the exhausted Ruder in front of him.

"An eye for an eye…' Alyssa rasped, struggling out of his reach. It obviously caused her a lot of pain, but he could see by the look in her eyes she wasn't ready to give up just then.

"More like… A gut for a gut, honeybee…" Ralph grunted as he pursued her across the floor, matching each of her pained movements with one of his own. Shivering, Alyssa eventually collapsed onto her back near the slab. Looking up at Scissorman as he crawled over to her, Alyssa actually smiled.

"That joke was terrible, Ralph." She breathed and he looked down at her, panting.

"I know…"

For a very long time, they just stared at each other, their heavy breathing the only thing breaking the immense silence.

"I hope you don't mind…' Ralph said eventually "Or rather, I really don't care if you do, but I'm going to pass out now." Alyssa nodded slightly.

"O-ok… M-me too…" She stammered out, voice shaking from the effort of staying awake.

"Good… That's… Alright then…" Ralph managed to get out before he pitched forward, landing on top of Alyssa. The girl didn't even have the energy to be startled. In fact, her fatigue-addled thoughts told her that, if she was going to pass out again, at least this time she would be warm.

"Goodnight, Ralph…" Alyssa murmured before she let her head fall back and joined Ralph in unconsciousness.

* * *

Oh alright, I promise when I eventually update again, I'll make it a long chapter. I thought you'd at least be pleased that they're finally sleeping together! Hahahaha- I make the WORST jokes.

-KD


	11. Encounter X

_Music: Sexy Back – Justin Timberlake (I'm only slightly kidding. I just spend like a really looong time describing Ralph's sexy back in this chapter. I very almost had him let his hair down and sort of swish it around in a kind of Fabio tribute… But I wisely decided against it.)_

_Actual music: Evanescence – Haunted (Er… No, Johnny, there is NO RAPE in this chapter!)_

_A/N: Ooosh, lookit! A change of scenery! No doubt a much more comfortable place for poor Alyssa, right? Wrong! But on a slightly technical note, I realise that in the game, Aly is way shorter than Ralph, but she's a growing girl. In my story, her head could fit nicely beneath his chin… But if that ever happens, it's probably because she's head-butting him… Yikes. (Hint, hint.)_

_Also, for the sake of Ralph completely fucking with Alyssa's mind… Let him be a little OOC, ok? _

_P.S: I apologise for the massively long author's note._

* * *

Ralph groaned softly as he awoke. The wound in his side that had been so searingly painful before was now little more than a dull throb. His body had obviously been at work healing him during his little nap.

He didn't open his eyes immediately, wondering just why he felt so warm… And why where he lay felt so soft. Finally deciding to investigate, he cracked open one eye and got the shock of his unlife;

During his time in the grips of unconsciousness, he must have teleported to his room and into his bed… This didn't surprise him much, as it happened frequently if he ever passed out from wounds or fatigue. No, what surprised Ralph was that he appeared to have brought a… Guest back with him.

Alyssa lay beneath him, her flame-coloured hair spread across _his _pillow. Her sleeping face was calm, despite the hell she had been through in the last hours and a healthy pink tinge had returned to her formerly bloodless cheeks…

Ralph stared. An actual living, breathing woman in his bed had been a rare occurrence in itself when he had been alive… Now it just seemed strange to say the least.

Not to mention the fact that the living, breathing woman was a Ruder. Alyssa Hamilton, to be specific…

Scissorman shook himself out of his daze and rolled off the girl, causing her to moan slightly at the loss of his warm weight. Ralph studied the sleeping girl for a moment, realising that in all the nights he had appeared in her mirror, he'd never once hung around to watch her sleep. Of course, thinking on it now, it would have been wonderful ammunition to use against her, but at the time he simply had not thought of it.

She really did look remarkably peaceful. Ralph had very rarely seen an expression like that on her face and he allowed himself a small smile at the thought that when she awoke, he would once again be the one to steal it off her…

_Is she more adorable when she's screaming or sleeping? _He thought. _How will I ever decide…?_

A slight twinge of pain in his side brought him out of his thoughts and wiped the grin from his face. Even as an entity, wounds like that _hurt _and took a while to heal fully. Scissorman wondered exactly how long they had been asleep…

His feet touched the floor as he left the bed and he padded over to the mirror hanging on the stone wall. His ghostly white reflection stared back at him and Ralph saw his complexion was slightly ashen. Frowning, he unbuttoned his crimson vest and discarded it on the floor. It was soon followed by his mesh shirt and he stood before the mirror, naked from the waist up.

Examining the wound, Ralph found it to be closed but saw the raw, red shine of new skin around the edges and knew it wouldn't heal completely for quite a while. His frown deepened; he _had _underestimated Alyssa. Scissorman knew he couldn't always be careful around her, or he'd never have his fun, but he had been rash. Alyssa Hamilton was a Ruder at the peak of her powers, and a damned intelligent one at that. If he let his guard down too often, she would find a way to kill him.

Ralph sighed. He simply could not allow that. He'd had his share of deaths and this time, it was her turn.

_I won't be dying by your hand, honeybee…_

Alyssa's soft moan should have alerted Ralph that she was waking up, but he was preoccupied with his wound…

Her eyelids fluttered gently for a moment before they opened. She stared confusedly up at the canopy, wondering if it had all just been a nightmare and she was back in her own bed… Then she realised with a start that her bed didn't look like something out of the dark ages.

Eyes sliding to the side, Alyssa spotted Ralph in front of the mirror. She blinked in surprise at the sight of his stark white back, criss-crossed with scars only a slightly darker colour. The Ruder watched fascinated as he stretched cat-like, and the compact muscles of his back and shoulders moved almost fluidly beneath the marble-coloured skin…

Without his garishly-coloured, jester-like outfit Alyssa could see how surreally beautiful he was. Aside from his death-like complexion and red-tinged eyes, he could almost pass for a mortal man…

It was strange, she thought, observing him when he wasn't stalking or taunting her. His muscles were relaxed, not constantly poised to strike like a snake. For a moment, she was quite distracted from the fact that she had just woken up in his _bed_…

Alyssa bit her lip. She didn't think it was intentional somehow, but it felt strange. Seeing how he was paying more attention to the wound in his side than to her, the Ruder began to wonder if she was being given a chance to escape. She didn't have any weapons, but neither did he. She wasn't incapable of overcoming him and Alyssa knew if she didn't take the chance then, it may never present itself again.

Slipping carefully out of the bed, Alyssa crept closer to Ralph, taking care not to let her reflection show in the mirror. As she was about to lunge at him, he suddenly turned, capturing her wrist in his hand, he pulled her against him, holding her captive hand to his chest.

"_I don't think so…_' He purred and she shivered involuntarily; his tone was suggestive and sinful and left Alyssa begging herself not to let it get to her.

"Alyssa,' He murmured "I hope you slept well. You'll need your strength if you plan to survive the punishment I'm about to put you through…"

Alyssa tried to pull away, but he pushed her hard and she stumbled back until her legs hit the bed.

"Little girl…' Ralph growled "I may have been impressed by your little con before, but it won't stop me from doing to you what you deserve…"

Trapped between the bed and Scissorman, Alyssa realised she had nowhere to run. She swallowed deeply and forced herself to look him in the eyes "Another round, Ralph? How long do you plan to keep this up? I'm not going to give in, no matter how much you hurt me." She said. Ralph laughed.

"Honeybee…' He said "Who said anything about _hurting _you? Seeing you standing so close to my bed is giving me other ideas for your punishment." He said, moving in close to her so that his body brushed lightly against hers. Alyssa looked at the floor.

"Give me a break Ralph… We both know you're not going to do that." She said and although her words sounded confident, the Ruder had in fact looked away so that Scissorman would not see the fear written across her face.

Ralph's eyes flashed and his wicked grin curled the edges of his mouth. "I underestimated you before and I paid for it…' he reached out and captured her chin in his hand, bringing her face up to look into his "It seems you're prepared to make the same mistake I did…" He finished and leaned in.

Alyssa's eyes widened in shock as Scissorman's lips pressed firmly against hers. The kiss lasted a brief second before she snapped out of the shock and head-butted Ralph, the top of her head connecting hard with the underside of his chin.

Scissorman's head snapped back and he stumbled back a few steps before he caught himself. Alyssa didn't wait to see his recovery and ran for the door. Uttering a silent prayer that it was unlocked, the young Ruder wrenched it open and ran down the corridor.

"You like it rough, do you?' Ralph murmured, rubbing his bruised chin "Fine by me…" He moved to a section of stone wall where an assortment of blades hung and selected one slightly longer and more elegant than his usually scissor blades.

"And if you'd rather play hide and seek…' He said, smirking as he left the room in search of the girl "I'm not opposed to that either."

* * *

And so the dreaded hide and seek saga begins! And by saga, I mean like one chapter… But anyway, he kissed her to prove her wrong, to prove a point, to prove he's a bastard, whatever. It's not a prelude to some hardcore smoochies…

… Unless you, really, really, REALLY want it to be. (I'm wondering if it's possible to get off purely on the innuendos… Ugh.)

Also, Ralph has these massive mood swings, would you know it. I know he's Ralph, but I think I need to give the boy more consistency… Hmm.

-K.D


	12. Encounter XI

_Music: All Nightmare Long - Metallica_

* * *

The sharp slap of her feet against the stone floor made her grit her teeth and run faster. Alyssa knew her only chance of escape was to get back to the dungeon and retrieve the Holy Bottle. No other way would she be able to activate the portal home.

The Ruder knew there were no portals in Burroughs Castle, let alone in the dungeon which seemed to be the only surviving part of it, but she had learnt to draw them from her mother's illustrations in her diary. It would take some time, and it was likely Ralph would locate her before she could finish it, but she had to _try_.

_Where am I going? _She asked herself. Alyssa had thought she would recognise the layout, but the twisting passages were proving her dead wrong. Perhaps it was her panic, or perhaps the place had changed somehow, she didn't know.

"_Honeybee! Where are you?_" Ralph's sinister voice echoed from somewhere not too far behind her and Alyssa ran faster. Her lungs were burning, her muscles aching but the Ruder knew she had to keep going. To stop would mean death, not immediate, but as prolonged and unbearably cruel as Scissorman decided to make it.

"_Run all you like, honeybee!' _his voice called _"But you know I'll find you, I always do!" _Alyssa allowed herself a small feeling of hope at the fact that his voice was fainter than the last time… Was he really falling behind, or-

_-Wall!_

Alyssa gasped as she rounded the corner and nearly collided with the solid stone. She stood, gaping at it, unable to believe it was there.

_No… No no NO!_

The Ruder pounded her fists against it, knowing full well she could not turn back. One wrong turn, just one miserable wrong turn had sealed her fate and now, she was corned. Once more trapped like a pathetic animal…

"_I found you…" _Scissorman's voice whispered, tone melodic yet sinister, from directly behind her. Alyssa felt her blood run cold.

"Ralph…" What would he do to her now? Cut her with his blade? Take her back to the torture chamber? Alyssa didn't know if her heart had stopped or if it was pounding too fast for her to discern its beats. Her fear only intensified as she sensed him move up behind her and-

His hands came to rest atop hers, trapping them against the wall, and he leaned his body against hers. She could not suppress a gasp as he rested his chin against her shoulder and spoke into her ear;

"I thought I might offer you a choice…' He murmured softly "Of where you would like to spend the remainder of your life."

Alyssa shivered violently; what did he mean by that? Was he saying he was offering her a choice to be killed right there, against the cold stone wall, or somewhere else?

"I can chain you down in the dungeon again…' Scissorman continued "Or we can move it to my bedroom…" His voice was almost silken, and unintentionally suggestive. Alyssa didn't know if she should laugh or not.

"I'll take the dungeon, thanks." She said, her fear abating slightly at the ridiculous notion she might choose anything different.

"Hush, honeybee. Hear me out first.' Ralph said "Should you choose the dungeon, I'll leave you to rot, alone in the cold. I won't touch you, speak to you. Nothing. All that awaits you there is slow death from starvation.' He moved so his lips brushed her ear "But if you choose my bedroom, I can promise you, your punishment will end sooner…"

Alyssa shivered. She knew that tied up in the dungeon, paralysis from muscle cramps would steal any other chances of escape. The Ruder knew Ralph had more horrors in store for her in his room, but just maybe, she would be faced with another chance to escape.

"Why blackmail me, Ralph?' Alyssa murmured "It's not really necessary, don't you think?" He chuckled.

"It's true, I could just _make _you do what I want… But when I give you a choice and you do what I want, I know I'm _winning_." He said.

"You're not winning.' Alyssa said darkly "People like you never do." She shivered again as she felt Ralph smile against her neck.

"I'm not a person, Alyssa…' He said "You said it yourself. I take it you don't want to go back to the dungeon?"

The Ruder knew he was not going to be distracted and tell her anything of what he planned to do to her. She also knew she didn't have a choice, the dungeon meant certain death. Painful, agonizing death.

"If I do what you want,' she murmured "how long will you take to kill me?" Ralph was quiet for a moment and she knew he was thinking it over.

"Three days.' He said finally "That should give me adequate time to… Enjoy myself."

Alyssa shuddered at his words, but now she knew. Three days to escape. It was frightening having such a countdown over her head, but the Ruder knew she couldn't think about it. She had to focus on getting out alive, nothing else.

"Alright…" She said softly and Ralph grinned again, releasing her hands. As Alyssa turned around to face him, she had to bite back a yelp as he moved forward, pushing her back against the wall.

"You know, Alyssa…' he said "Sometimes I get the feeling that if it were not for what you did to me, I would have liked you very much..." His dark eyes stared into hers, gaze intense and unwavering. Alyssa wanted desperately to break away from that stare, even more than she wanted desperately not to be aware of the feeling of his body so close, almost between her thighs.

"I don't think I would have liked you either way, Ralph." She said quietly and he put a hand over his heart in mock hurt.

"You wound me, honeybee.' He took her hand, leading her away from the wall.

"But I'll make you hurt even more…" He whispered in her ear before he wrapped his arms around her, teleporting them back to his room…

* * *

I really apologise for these short chapters. I'm just not good at doing long ones. Sorry.

I know I said the song for this chapter is Metallica's 'All Nightmare Long' and it is, but do you want to know what the actual song I was listening to when writing this was? You sure…? Ok…

'Honey to the bee' by Billie Piper. Get the joke? Get it? Do ya? Do ya get it? XD

Ok, shut up. I have a very _varied _taste in music.

Next chapter. Well, I don't know. Haven't thought about it yet. I'm running through all the possibilities of handcuffs and skanky maid outfits to whips and chains. Wait… Are those really all the possibilities I can think of? I'm a bit sick in the head.

~KD


	13. Encounter XII

_

* * *

_

Music: Skinny Puppy - Cult

_A/N_:

_Unlucky chapter thirteen. (Well, not really seeing as one if an author's ramblings) If I can't make it a little less convoluted after this, I'll cry. (Yeah, well, that's what you get for starting this story on a lark. And to think it was originally going to be two chapters and end in pr0n…) But in all seriousness, in this chapter, stuff gets revealed, and you all realise that this story isn't just about Ralph molesteringlering Alyssa! (Try that word on for size XD)_

-KD

* * *

Alyssa bit her lip. She'd thought that being in the dungeon with Scissorman was enough, but somehow in this place, this new _enclosed _space, the feeling of dread was worse.

Ralph smirked knowingly at the Ruder "Make yourself comfortable, Alyssa." He drawled, enjoying the unease that rolled off the girl in waves.

"What next, Ralph?" She asked quietly.

The former Subordinate looked at his quarry thoughtfully. She sounded as if she had resigned herself to her fate, but he knew it was an act. Scissorman had seen the way her eyes flickered around to take in her surroundings; the way her delightful lips turned down at the sides when he'd locked the door. He knew she was still searching for a way out.

Without a word, he hung up his blade on the far wall and turned back to her, advancing slowly.

To her credit, Alyssa didn't back away, but Ralph didn't miss the way she subtlety shifted her weight so should he suddenly lunge, she would be prepared to dodge.

He stopped in front of her, so suffocatingly close that Alyssa could swear she could feel body heat that shouldn't have even existed.

"It would be so easy…' He murmured "To cut your pretty skin off your body." Alyssa flinched but made no attempt to move. She could tell she was about to be treated to one of Scissorman's sadistic tangents and somehow, interrupting him seemed like a bad idea.

Ralph smirked at her before he continued "The problem is where to start. I could begin here…' He touched a finger to her cheek.

"Here…'

_Lips_…

"Here…'

_Throat_…

"Or _here…_"

His finger settled at her collarbone and traced down towards the slight swell of her breasts that her attire failed to cover. Alyssa sternly pushed his hand away before it could move any lower.

"If you've quite finished molesting me, could you answer something?" She said and the Scissorman smiled.

"Yes, and there is your answer.' He replied, earning him a pointed glare from the Ruder that made him burst out laughing "What is it you want to know, fair Alyssa?"

The Ruder paused and even looked away for a moment and when she looked back, Ralph saw a sharp glint in her eyes. He had seen it before as she tried to figure out puzzles or strategies to stay alive as he and Jemima chased her all over the abandoned hospital and Burroughs Castle.

"I didn't realise until now, but when you… Kissed me earlier,' A slight tinge of pink seemed to rise to her cheeks for a second before it was gone again "I felt something… wrong."

"I'd say it was perfectly natural what you felt, Honeybee." Ralph jibed her and her eyes flashed.

"Ralph, I'm serious!' She almost yelled but then clasped her hands close to her body, looking more uneasy than before "Something was _missing_." She whispered.

"What are you talking about, Alyssa?' Ralph said. If it weren't for the look in her eyes, he'd have thought it was an act, a distraction of some kind "What are you trying to ask me?"

Alyssa looked up and quite unexpectedly, perhaps for both of them, placed a hand on his cheek. Her touch was not intimate, more like she was searching for something.

"What happened to your Entity, Ralph?"

He blinked and took her hand that rested on his face as if to stop her from touching him but then did not let it go "What do you mean what happened to it? It's there as it always is." He said, suddenly feeling unsure of the fact. Alyssa shook her head.

"No, it isn't. When you kissed me, I could see inside you for a moment…' Ralph gave her an odd look and she quickly explained "It's part of a Ruder's powers, we can sometimes see into the soul of another when there is a degree of… Intimate contact involved, and I guess that counted." Alyssa blushed slightly and fell silent.

Scissorman was silent for a moment before he managed to ask her "What did you see?"

She bit her lip "Nothing."

"Nothing…' Ralph repeated dully "What of the Entity?"

"I couldn't feel it at all…" Alyssa whispered.

Another silence descended as the two mulled over the information. Alyssa was unsure what to think; was there a possibility that her powers were weakening already? Is that why she couldn't feel it? It seemed unlikely; her mother had held her powers into her early twenties, a record for any Ruder. It seemed odd that after only a year, Alyssa's would diminish. The other possibility was simply exhaustion; Scissorman had put her through a lot in a very small space of time…

"Well.' He said, breaking the silence and making her jump "I don't suppose there is a chance you were mistaken?" He asked and Alyssa half nodded, half shook her head.

"I… Don't know. There might be…" She said and just managed not to jump again as Ralph's hands rested on her shoulders.

"I need you to check again." He said and Alyssa blinked before she shrugged his hands off.

"I'm not playing your game at the moment, Scissorman. I-" Here words were cut off as Ralph's hands came up to cup her face and turn it so she could look into his eyes.

"Alyssa.' He said, and she could see his expression was serious "I need you to check again."

And all she could do was nod.

She reasoned that, because she was expecting it, this time the kiss would not surprise her as much, but perhaps because his desire to uncover answers was stronger than his former desire to prove a point, this kiss proved equally, If not more, shocking;

Ralph's lips pressed firmly against hers, his mouth opening slightly as his hands moved from her face to the back of her head, tangling in her hair as they pulled her deeper into the kiss. Alyssa didn't know if he thought a more intimate kiss would divulge more definitive answers, but something was driving him. It was all she could do to relax into it. Closing her eyes as her mouth angled across his, Alyssa concentrated…

_Nothing… Black, cold emptiness stretched out for eons._

_Desolate… _She thought _He's just desolate inside… _

But something… _There! A spark! _

She had no idea what it was, but she clutched at it…

… And what she saw made her eyes fly open and her body tense up.

Ralph felt her stiffen and he drew back. Alyssa's eyes were wide and her face flushed. Her lips shone with wetness from the kiss, but what drew Ralph's attention was the twin trails of tears that fell from her eyes.

"Alyssa…?' He spoke her name softly and her eyes flew to his "Alyssa, what did you see?" He asked the girl.

Her lips moved, but no sound came out. The Ruder shook her head and turned away from him, moving unsteadily to the bed and sitting down, staring at the floor.

"Alyssa!" Ralphs growled, following her and pushing her down by the shoulders. His hands bore her into the mattress as he bent over her "Answer me! What did you see?" Her eyes fixed on his, Cerulean meeting the darkest wine red as she finally answered;

"_Your soul…_"

* * *

Who's your daddy?

I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised by my reasons as to why Ralphie-baby is alive! Or at least pleasantly surprised that I am at least bothering to give you a reason.

And no, it's not gonna be some sappy, Angel the Vampire Brooder crap about him having a soul. He's not going to fight crime and grow a massive forehead. Let me just say that it is an important element.

Until next time! I hope you enjoyed the lovely, forced smoochies!

-KD


	14. Encounter XIII

_Chapter warning: This chapter is rated 'M' reader discretion is advised. Seriously, just in case you think that 'he's got a soul!' business is gonna make him good? It gets dark right here._

_A/N:_I apologize in advance for this Dr. Pepper-fuelled chapter. I'm sure I'll get my comeuppance for it sometime soon.

_Music: All over me – Drowning Pool_

* * *

* * *

Alyssa bit her lip as she watched Ralph just lie face down on his bed. It was almost comical in the way that he was acting like a child and ignoring her…

With his mood so volatile, the Ruder knew it wasn't a good idea to try and escape. Something told her the rules of the game had changed with the revelation that Ralph, despite all he could do and had done, was in a sense, technically more human than Entity.

What Alyssa had seen inside him, after reflecting on it, was only a fragment of a soul, but even that had been enough to make her weep when she touched it.

_So much rage… So much pain… And none of it from the Entity…_

She had always known of how he and Jemima had met their collective fate, and even then it made her shiver. Alyssa had allowed herself to think that though it was terrible, they had done so much worse to their victims and they had probably even deserved it…

But when she had touched that tiny, fragile shard of Ralph's soul, she had _seen _it and her beliefs had come shattering down…

_The crowd jeered and roared and finally dissipated, leaving the two to die. Jemima was gone already, Ralph could see that in her open, glazed eyes, yet he still stubbornly dragged his broken, bleeding body across the ground, just to touch her one more time…_

"_Jemima… Jemima…" He'd die with her name on his lips, he knew it, and he kept repeating it, over and over in a mantra, as he pulled himself to her. _

_At only two feet from her body, a wave of weakness crashed over him like a Tsunami and he fell forward. He was done. Ralph knew he had not the strength to pull himself any further, but he still reached for her. His arm came so frustratingly close to her and his bloody fingers stretched out, clawing at the gravelly dirt, just trying to get those few precious inches closer…_

"_Jemima…" _

Alyssa shook her head, tears once more welling in the corners of her eyes. Ralph had never reached his sister. He'd died with his fingers only one cruel inch from hers and it broke her heart. She wished she could tell herself that she was just confused; that touching his soul had transferred his grief to her, but it just wasn't true. It was purely and simply sad…

She sighed softly and pushed the scene to the back of her mind, eyes once more landing on the former subordinate on the bed.

"Ralph…?' She spoke softly and of course, he did not reply "Ralph, what do you think it means?" She tried again and still got no response. Frowning, the Ruder took one step closer to the door.

"If I try to run, are you going to stop me?" She asked and when his silence simply stretched on, Alyssa went to it and was about to open it when Ralph replied…

"Door's locked anyway." His voice was sullen and quiet. When Alyssa turned back to him, she could see that he had turned his head slightly so he could see her. She was startled by the look in his eyes that usually glittered like bright black beetles. He looked so… Unsure all of a sudden.

"You're right…' Alyssa tried, taking a tentative step towards him "Door's locked, nowhere for me to go…' She continued to take tiny steps towards him "You could do anything to me…"

A wry smile touched Scissorman's lips "Sorry, I'm not in the mood. Headache." He said and Alyssa almost smiled back at him.

"Was that a joke…?" She asked as she stopped by the foot of the bed and gazed down at him and the look he gave her was such a weak shadow of his usual grin, she felt it was more intimidating simply because she did not know what it meant…

"Come here…" He said all of a sudden, his hand outstretched. Alyssa hadn't even seen him extend his arm…

"I… No…" She said, beginning to back away.

"Alyssa.' He said in a voice so authoritive that she stopped. "For once in my unlife, I mean you no harm. I just…' He paused for a moment and sighed "I just need this." He finished in a voice so soft she could barely hear it.

"Ok…" Alyssa said against her better judgement. Was she really about to let him to whatever it was he wanted to her? It seemed so ludicrous, she thought as her knee touched the bed and she took the Scissorman's outstretched hand, and she knew she would never have done it had it not been for the scene of his death that no matter how hard she tried to, she could not stop from replaying in her head.

Alyssa bit back a gasp of surprise when in one fluid movement, Ralph pulled her forward and she suddenly found herself cradled against his chest. He was once more lying down, but this time on his back. Alyssa almost struggled away as he moved her ever so slightly so that her head was tucked beneath his chin.

"Jemima and I…' Ralph began and Alyssa stilled herself "Would lie like this when we were young and… Scared, if you can believe it.' His arms encircled her and he sighed "We had plenty of nightmares as children… Sometimes we just needed to embrace and they would go away…"

Alyssa was silent for a long time before she was able to say anything "Not like this, you didn't…" She said quietly and felt Ralph stiffen slightly.

"And how would you know that…?" He asked.

"Because… I saw it.' Alyssa murmured. Suddenly on an impulse, she moved so that she lay at his side and quickly before he could react, she found his hand and threaded her fingers through his.

"This is how you used to hold each other…" She said, wondering all of a sudden if she had just done something that would make him angry…

"Ah…' Ralph said meekly. "I guess you figured me out."

"Why would you lie about something like that, Ralph?" She asked softly and froze when he turned to look at her, his face so close she could see that yes, his eyes really were more red than black…

"Because I don't want to hold you like that." He said seriously. Alyssa felt her heart sink at the feral look in his eyes and knew that not only had the game indeed changed, it was now over.

She couldn't even resist as she suddenly found herself on her back underneath him, his lips on hers so hard she felt herself being pushed into the mattress. Alyssa had to open her mouth to accommodate his as the pressure threatened to bruise her lips against her teeth. Ralph's grip on her wrists was no lighter as he held her hands above her head.

"_Alyssa…_' He growled as he pulled back from her mouth and she gasped for air "_You saw inside me… You think you know me?" _She couldn't seem to find her voice to scream as he bit into her neck, her mouth open and wordless.

"_What did you do to me?' _He hissed "_What the hell did you do?" _He pulled back again and looked down at Alyssa, almost smiling as blood trickled from the wound on her neck. He leaned in whispered into her ear;

"I'm going to let you see inside me again, _right _inside me, as deeply as you can go. When you find out what you've done and how to fix it, we'll stop, hmm?" He cooed to her, one hand now trailing down her body.

"I d-don't know w-what h-happened…' Alyssa stammered "I d-didn't do anything…" She was still reeling from the pain when he bit into her neck and could barely form a complete thought in her head.

"_I don't __**care!**__" _Ralph suddenly snarled at her "Just _fix _me!' A strangled sound seemed to escape him for a moment and the pressure on her wrist loosened temporarily.

"I can feel it now…' He whispered "Something _is _wrong with me… So fix it…"

Alyssa moaned as once again, his lips met hers in a crushing kiss and her already bruising wrists were held down again. She tried to kick at him and struggled but Ralph increased the pressure on her lower body too and she couldn't help but cry in revulsion at the feel of him against her.

"_Yes…_" Ralph hissed "_For your sake, I hope you fix it quickly…_"

And Alyssa wondered how it had suddenly become so much worse as his fingers found and untied the knots in her ruined clothing.

She wondered how she was going to survive this new torture as more of her skin was bruised and broken.

She wondered how she would face Annette again as his teeth sank once more into her neck.

She wondered how he could be enjoying it as he laughed at what he was doing.

And she wondered just how it was that her will shattered not like unlike a porcelain doll as she fell towards oblivion in his hands…

_[Wandering child. . .  
So lost  
So helpless  
Yearning for my  
Guidance . . .]_

* * *

Mind you, I never SAID he did anything more than beat her and try to eat her face off, so you can't get on my case about it. Neener neener neener! And of course, lied to her like a lying bastard about not meaning her any harm. What a country without the 'o' and 'ry.'

ANYWAY! I do not own the lyrics to Wandering child from Phantom of the Opera, by Andrew Lloyd Webber. I just somehow thought they were appropriate… You can decide if I mean that for Alyssa, Ralph or both of them, cos I ain't gonna tell you. :D

* * *


	15. Encounter XIV

_Chapter Warning: You will never eat honey again... Explicit 'M' rating, guys._

_A/N: You __**DO NOT HAVE TO READ THIS CHAPTER! **__You could safely wait until the next chapter if you don't want to read adult-oriented material, because it will make sense either way._

_Also, Harold is Chopper's real name. He gets a brief mention. _

_Music: Entwined – Lacuna Coil, Love x2 – Drowning Pool (long chapter gets two theme songs.)_

* * *

Alyssa hurt all over. Her neck, her back, even her teeth and the ends of her _hair_ hurt…

She'd lost track of how long her ordeal was, but it felt like hours and all the time she had wished she could just pass out. The Ruder couldn't remember the last time she had felt so helpless with pain and fear.

_At least pain is tangible… _She thought vaguely. The worst part had not in fact been the pain, but when Ralph had grown tired of hurting her.

"_I think a different approach is in order…_" He'd whispered and trailed his mouth from her collarbone all the way down to her navel, all the while his hands drawing light patterns on her thighs…

Alyssa shivered. In contrast to the agony he had put her through, his suddenly gentle touch had felt good and she cursed him and herself for it. How shameful and how sick it was. He seemed to know it too as he touched her in ways she had never imagined a man would. Her back arched slightly and she immediately hissed in pain, even the small movement making her wounds ache.

"_Oh honeybee… What would your friends think?" _He'd taunted as he traced her jaw line with his thumb.

She squeezed her eyes shut. Oh, how she wanted to forget the way his oddly skilled hands left trails of coldfire wherever he touched her. She wanted to forget how his sinful tongue dipped and delved into her mouth and she gave no resistance at all. She wanted to forget the wicked glimmer in his eye when she couldn't suppress a cry that was not of pain…

And most of all, most terrible of all, Alyssa wanted to forget that for one delirious, unbelievable moment, she had wanted to forget that he was her enemy…

"That was my specialty, you know…' Alyssa jumped as Ralph draped an arm casually around her and pulled her close "making women feel pleasure, even when they knew I would kill them…' His mouth pressed to the wound on her neck, hot and wet and Alyssa just managed to stifle a gasp "I see even my Ruder is no exception…"

"Not… Yours…" She spat from between her teeth. Ralph's laugh was breathy and suggestive.

"Oh? But you're not denying it felt good?"

Alyssa just squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. She was too exhausted even to lie…

"Anyway…' Ralph drawled, trailing a hand over the naked curve of her hip "I'll have the strength for another round soon. Are you sureyou can't see anything?" Alyssa could hear the laugh on his voice; it was as if he no longer _cared _whether she fixed what was wrong, as if torturing her was enough…

"… No." Her voice was quiet and devoid of emotion. The Scissorman's fingertips sunk deeper into the flesh of her hip as he pulled her tighter against him.

"Really? Is this contact not intimate enough for your precious Ruder magicks?' His tone teased her and she could feel him grinning against her neck. He cruelly nipped the already abused flesh and Alyssa struggled not to move. "Perhaps we need to go one step further?" He whispered mockingly, but Alyssa shivered.

_That's exactly it… _She had tried, so help her, to find out what had caused the absence of the Entity and the appearance of the fragment of soul, but it was as if there was a blockade preventing her from seeing it. Like a final door that needed to be unlocked.

Alyssa knew the only way she would be able to see it was if all the barriers between them were removed, mentally and… Physically.

The Ruder swallowed uneasily. Linking her mind to his was simple enough, but her body… That was different. The act had to occur on a mutual consensus, or it wouldn't work and Alyssa didn't think there was any way in hell she would be able to forgive herself for willingly…

_For willingly __**sleeping **__with him? As if he'd go along with it… _She tried to say to herself, but the truth was Alyssa no longer believed Ralph would be unwilling to go that far. He seemed to be getting there on his own accord with no help from her anyway…

_I won't do it! _Alyssa suddenly thought so violently, it was as if the words were crashing themselves against her skull.

But then, there was the indisputable fact that whatever was wrong with him could very well be the key to her release. She wondered if she could do it, sacrifice her body and perhaps even her very sense of self just to be free again…

Her thoughts turned to Annette, now all alone and not yet knowing it. To Dennis, his boyish smile inviting her to laugh along with him even during the hardest of times. To Linda, and the three of them chatting as they walked through Hyde Park, London…

And she knew…

"If I can't see it now, I don't think I ever will be able to…" Alyssa said, though she knew the chance was small.

"Hm.' Ralph murmured distractedly as his fingers brushed through her hair "Funny that I don't believe you." His fingers tilted her chin back so her cerulean eyes met his.

"I didn't think you would." She said and before she could talk herself out of her decision, pressed her mouth to her his. She could feel him grin against her mouth before he eagerly swept his tongue into her mouth, not forcefully, but passionately as kisses were supposed to be and it felt so good that tears welled in Alyssa's eyes.

_Oh lord, please don't do that Ralph… Hurt me, take me but don't make me feel like this…_

She couldn't think of anything crueller than this horrific, _necessary _thing feeling good, but it seemed as if Ralph was determined to make her feel ashamed and humiliated.

"I know you don't want this to feel good, honeybee…" Ralph's melodic voice half-sang, half-taunted as if he'd read her thoughts "But you'll be dead soon anyway. Why not enjoy it?"

_That's what you think, you bastard…_ Alyssa thought but out loud she said "can you not call me that?"

"What?" He asked, his lips brushing her neck.

"_That_.' She said, reluctant hands perching on his shoulders "This will be… Weird if you call me that."

Ralph pulled back, a wicked grin spreading across his face "Indeed… I think even _he _would have looked down on this."

"I'm glad we can agree on something…" She whispered and his lips came down hard on hers. Alyssa accepted the sweep of his tongue and the grazing of his teeth and let her hands wander from his shoulders to the compact muscles of his back that had so fascinated her earlier. Now as her hands traced the smooth, hard muscle, she realised there was something almost erotic about the way they had moved beneath his snow white skin…

_You're a sick girl, Alyssa Hamilton. _An unwelcome, but entirely correct voice said in her head and suddenly it was as if his skin was white hot. She began to take her hands away but quite by accident, scraped her fingernails over his skin. Ralph growled and moved against her so her thighs were resting at either side of his hips.

"_You want to hurt me, don't you?_' He all but purred, taking her small hand and pressing it to his bare chest "_After everything I've done, what I'm __**going **__to do… Hurt me, scratch me…' _His mouth came down to her ear and he briefly bit the lobe "Make me bleed, Alyssa."

She stared up at him, eyes wide and was suddenly furious "You… I'd _never _give you the satisfaction!" She yelled and pushed him off her. The Ruder quickly gathered the few scraps of remaining clothing from where they lay, haphazardly tying them to provide her with a semblance of modesty.

"Are you really trying to escape? You wound me." Ralph said, a hand placed dramatically over his heart. Alyssa ignored him, wondering how long it would take before he decided to stop her.

As she snatched key to the door from where it lay on a low table, she wondered if she was angrier at herself than Ralph. It was in his nature to act that way, she was the one who had almost let him…

She shook her head and made for the door. As she was about to slide the key into the lock, Ralph practically flattened her against the door and she lost her grip on the key. It clattered to the floor and lay there useless and completely out of reach.

"_Alyssa… _I am loathe to let you leave here looking so deliciously angry… And of course, almost completely naked." He purred, his knee pressing between her legs.

"Tell me Ralph… Are you doing this because you want to find out what happened to your Entity or because you hate me so much?" Alyssa spoke softly and Ralph's chin rested on her shoulder.

"If I hated you _that_ much Alyssa, I don't think I could stand to touch you…' He said, his body pressing insistently against hers "And of course, the situation does call for it…" He added, laughing darkly.

"You don't hate me enough not to do _this_ but you do hate me enough to _kill _me?" Alyssa spat viciously and Ralph stiffened then growled;

"You killed my sister."

"You killed my mother." She shot back and he sighed deeply.

"I think you know it was Harold, not I, who killed her." He said and Alyssa gave the ghost of a shrug.

"And if, say, it had been Dennis who killed Jemima, would we be in a different situation now?" She asked and Ralph almost laughed.

"I suppose not, but that little weed would have probably been dead by now.' He mused "You've spent longer in my company than I could ever have imagined possible…"

Alyssa looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes still holding a slight note of fear that was overshadowed by the fiery determination Ralph saw within them.

"This is just business Ralph. We're not doing this for pleasure, got it?" She said and Ralph smirked.

"As the lady commands it."

Before she could even comprehend it, Alyssa found herself pinned to the floor, Ralph's deft fingers relieving her of the shreds of clothing covering her body.

"These _really _must go…" He said as he cast them aside. Alyssa couldn't help the heat rising on her face when Ralph cast his gaze down her now naked body and she didn't miss the low, animalistic growl that rumbled from his throat.

Alyssa let out a sound of surprise as he grasped her thighs and lifted them so they straddled either side of his hips. She could feel him pressed hard against her and her mind reeled. She barely heard him as he spoke;

"Take them off."

Blinking, the Ruder looked a question at him and he smirked, his eyes flickering down to his trousers. Alyssa winced and raised her trembling hands to his ornate belt buckle. She had not noticed his different attire until that moment; the fitted trousers were snowy white, but as close as she was, Alyssa could see subtle lines of silver detailed them. She wondered briefly why he wore different clothing when Ralph growled impatiently at her and she shook herself out of her daze, fumbling with the buckle once more.

As she loosened his belt and started to unbutton his trousers, he covered her hands with his, pressing them to him. Alyssa looked up, shock written upon her face and saw his eyes were hooded. He peered out at her from between his dark lashes and hissed a single word;

"_Yes…"_

Alyssa felt revulsion coil in her stomach, but it was tinged with something else she couldn't quite identify… She tried to continue unbuttoning his trousers, but he was making it difficult. Her fingers stilled on the last button and Ralph smirked down at her.

"Something the matter?" He asked innocently, though his face gave him away. Alyssa felt her face flush and looked away.

"I haven't… I don't…" She tried to say and then groaned, covering her face with her hands. Ralph laughed.

"I see. You've never seen a man naked before? Not even your precious Dennis?"

"No!' Alyssa replied hotly "He's my _friend_!"

Ralph leaned in close, his lips just grazing hers "And don't friends take it upon themselves to make friends feel _good_…?" He murmured then ran his tongue slowly along her bottom lip, wetting it before he nipped it with his teeth. He felt her eyelashes flutter against his cheek as her eyes closed and a soft moan arose from her throat.

"Ah, but _this _feels good, doesn't it?' He pressed, hands finding Alyssa's and pinning them to the ground so they were level with her head. "And I think we may as well face the fact that we're not friends…" He said, lips touching her neck.

"And friends don't sleep with their friends…" Alyssa murmured. Ralph had to laugh at the blunt statement coming from his Ruder's lips.

"No wonder that stupid boy hasn't known you then.' He remarked, and then grinned "How strange yet oddly fortuitous that I'll be the first to have you." He added, curling his fingers to entwine with hers. Alyssa actually managed a laugh that was really more a sharp humourless bark.

"Fortuitous? Who for?" She asked and Ralph feigned surprise.

"Why, you of course. Silly girl. You really don't know how lucky you are…' He said and one of his hands came up to cup her breast while his lips skimmed over her throat. Alyssa jumped slightly but managed to still herself.

"Lucky? How the hell am I lucky?" She asked bitterly, trying hard to breath properly under his touch.

"I've made women on the verge of _death _moan, Alyssa.' Ralph murmured as his thumb found and traced the tightening bud of her nipple. The Ruder couldn't suppress a small cry at that and Ralph smiled slowly "See? You're lucky I got to you first."

Alyssa took a sharp. Her upbringing had been one of love and trust; she had always thought that the man to take her virginity would be somebody she could share that with… This wouldn't be like that at all. She'd not really thought about all she would be giving up doing this, just that it was necessary.

"I won't be that gentle lover you've no doubt fantasized about, whispering sweet nothings in your ear and promising it won't hurt too much.' Ralph said, lips brushing hers with every syllable "Oh, it _is_ goingto hurt sweetheart, and you're going to _love_it…"

"I wouldn't expect anything gentle from you, Ralph.' Alyssa growled in response "It's _just _business after all."

"I'd forgotten about that.' Ralph said "But in all honesty, I don't care if you don't make an effort to enjoy yourself. I can work hard enough for the both of us." He said and before Alyssa could protest, he captured her mouth in a deep, searing kiss that left her speechless.

Alyssa couldn't move as Ralph's lips left a hot trail down her throat and along her collarbone. She made a small noise of protest that became a gasp as his mouth brushed against her sensitive nipple, left a deep rose colour from his earlier ministrations. A moan left her throat as his tongue briefly touched to it and then his teeth scraped in such a way that she couldn't decide if it were painful or pleasurable.

She stared at the ceiling as he moved his attention to her other breast, repeating the treatment there. She couldn't watch anymore and let her eyes close, trying not to give in to the temptation to moan and writhe at his touch.

The young Ruder tried to shift her thoughts away from what was happening and to a place in her mind where she was happy. She imagined the flower field she and Dennis had embraced in at the end of the ordeal with Lord Burroughs, and how she had said goodbye to her mother, sad, but relieved that she was at peace. Alyssa could almost feel the flower-scented breeze blowing though her hair…

Ralph's fingertips touched her knee all of a sudden. Something was strange about the touch, as it should not have felt so intimate in such a place. Alyssa opened her eyes and peered curiously at him. He met her gaze with a mysterious smile and dragged his fingertips to her inner thighs, running them slowly up and down. It sent wicked shivers shooting up Alyssa's spine and she couldn't help but close her eyes again.

His skilled fingers ran from her thigh all the way to her inner calf, then back up again. Alyssa could feel the effect it was having on her and threw her head back as she tried her best to resist moaning, her legs parting further as if by their own accord. She felt his hands rest upon her thighs lightly…

Alyssa suddenly froze up as she felt the feather-light tendrils of Ralph's hair brush against her inner thighs. Her eyes flew open to find his head bowed between her open thighs.

"Ralph, don't-"

"Shhh…" He said, and the faint rush of air it caused reached her bare sex and she bit her lip at the sensation.

Ralph turned his head to kiss her inner thighs, his hair tickling her skin. Alyssa thought deliriously how she would have liked to pull away the ribbon that bound his hair and feel the silky ebony tendrils cascade across her thighs…

Alyssa cried out as his mouth suddenly claimed her, his tongue flicking out to taste her clit. Before she could stop herself, Alyssa moaned out his name.

"_Ralph…_"

The former Subordinate made a noise of approval, and the sound caused his lips to hum against her. Alyssa gasped and her hands flew to the back of his head before she really knew what she was doing. As her hands threaded into his hair to press him to her, she loosened the ribbon and it fell like a rush of liquid black silk. He seemed amused by her attentions and rewarded her with something else that elicited a groan of pleasure from her…

His masterful tongue touched her entrance and carefully, he dipped it inside. Alyssa's hands pulled at his hair almost hard enough to hurt. His tongue delved a little deeper, tasting her and when he finally drew back there was a contented smile on his face.

"_Just like honey…_" He whispered to her and his face came down to rest against her belly, his hair spreading across her like a dark blanket as he kissed her navel, his tongue drawing a gentle circle around it.

Alyssa couldn't stop her chest heaving. Residual sensations made her moan softly, but words were simply beyond her.

Ralph rubbed his cheek against Alyssa's stomach for a moment before he drew himself up to her face and kissed her lips. The firmness and possessiveness of the kiss frightened Alyssa, but she knew she was now beyond doing anything to help herself. She could taste her own arousal on his lips and felt completely ashamed.

"Don't make such a sad face, Alyssa. I'll think I'm doing a bad job." Ralph said as he let his hands run lazily up and down her body.

"Can't we just get this over with?" Was her reply when she finally regained her breath. There was a flash of displeasure in Ralph's eyes and his lips turned down at the sides.

"Such a tough one to crack…' He muttered "Very well, but you'll be the one who is sorry it wasn't longer when I'm done." And all of a sudden he was pulling her to her feet, his fingers digging painfully into her arms. Alyssa's legs weren't able to support her and the second he let go, she fell to the bed only to have Ralph cover her body with his a second later.

She could feel his hand between them working to undo his last button and then slide his trousers down his hips and off his legs. Alyssa felt as if her heart would stop as her nemesis pressed his naked body to hers.

"_I hope you scream for me, honeybee…" _He whispered and Alyssa's eyes flashed.

"You said you wouldn't- mmph!" His mouth came down hard on hers, his tongue slipping between her lips before she could finish her sentence.

"No more talking.' He hissed as he drew back and with that said, his lips were on hers again and he briefly sucked on her tongue before his hands found her hips and pulled them against his. Alyssa's eyes went wide as she felt him press against her. Ralph held her gaze and for a second, a flash of disbelief flickered on his face before he smiled.

"Who would have thought it…?" He murmured and sunk into her in one slow, smooth motion.

Alyssa's cry was stolen from her lips as Ralph's tongue thrust deeply into her mouth again almost savagely. His hands on her wrists pushed down with bruising pressure as his hips rolled into hers again and again. Ralph swallowed all the sounds she made, not caring if they were from pain or pleasure. His teeth caught her lower lip between them just hard enough to draw blood and he let out a growl as the taste of her blood filled his mouth.

She was tight, almost unbearably so. The former subordinate felt her walls squeeze him almost hard enough to hurt and growled, slamming into her body painfully enough to make her scream. Ralph took the opportunity to thrust his tongue deeper into her mouth and her teeth came down almost instinctually, drawing his blood which mixed with her own from her lips. Ralph snarled into her mouth, biting at her lips harder and slamming his body into hers in retaliation.

Alyssa tried to relax and raise her hips to accommodate his thrusts, hoping to make it hurt less. The pain abated to a more standable level and she slid her arms over his shoulders to steady herself and held on so tightly her nails dug into his pale flesh.

Ralph pulled away from her mouth and ran his hot tongue down her cheek, leaving a bloody trail. He moved to her neck, teeth nipping the bruises there. His hands pulled her legs up and around his waist, his nails scarping against her skin.

As he felt her body adjust to him, Ralph slowed his pace so that every stroke was long, slow and teasing until Alyssa shuddered, pressing every inch of herself closer to him, unconsciously begging for more. Ralph was glad to provide, his thrusts becoming quick and shallow. Alyssa's head threw back as she felt a liquid hot sensation build deep within the pit of her stomach.

_I'm getting closer… Just a little longer…_ She could feel the gateway within him crumbling. Whatever lay beyond it held the answer to his missing entity and appearance of his soul fragment. Perhaps even to the reason why he was still alive. Alyssa knew her own salvation depended on that answer, and stretched out her mind, pushing against the seal, causing it to crumble further…

Ralph's movements grew hard enough to bruise her inner thighs, but Alyssa could barely feel the pain, too busy breaking through the barrier within Ralph's being…

And suddenly, everything was still. Alyssa opened her eyes and looked around. She was in an empty space, but a blue glow came from a seal in front of her. The Ruder knew she was inside Ralph's heart… She approached the seal, shielding her eyes slightly. The glow was so intense she struggled to see clearly what exactly it was. Examining it closely, she realised there was something familiar about it…

Alyssa gasped, staring at the looping, entwining design. She had seen the symbol so many times before. This seal had branded every single portal she had ever crossed, every diary her mother and grandfather had ever written. It was a Ruder seal, and not just any, but the seal of the Hamilton family…

Her eyes opened just in time to feel Ralph's final thrust as he came and her own body tensed in climax. Alyssa couldn't help the tears that ran down her cheeks and Ralph noticed them, leaning in to delicately lick them away.

"So, my little honeybee, what did you see?" He purred, having misunderstood Alyssa's tears as tears of shame, but then the Ruder looked into his eyes with an expression that made the smile drop from his face.

"It's all my fault…" She whispered.

* * *

Yeah… I guess it's sort of non-con, seeing as she was sort of forced into it… I need a drink.

I honestly just thought that it was headed in this direction. The story I want finished soon, so I apologize if the turn of events seems unrealistic. This is technically the third to last chapter if I get my way.


	16. Encounter XV

**A/N:** **Ok. I guess all of you, despite my warnings, decided to read the last chapter anyway. I guess I'll just follow straight on from it then. May I burn in hell for all eternity. :D**

**I guess you're all just gonna have to deal with the Awkward Turtle, slowly crawling along inch by inch, reminding us that Jesus Christ, they just had sex. But you'll get used t- err, well… Go on. Read.**

**Music: 'Follow me' - Breaking Benjamin.**

* * *

-

* * *

_Oh god… I did it. I brought him back…_

Ralph's hands closed tightly over Alyssa's neck. The Ruder clawed at him and struggled, but his grip was unmovable.

"So I was right.' He said nonchalantly, as if he were not choking the life from her "You did this to me…." His hand squeezed cruelly until Alyssa thought her throat would be crushed, but then he let go, smirking down at her.

The Ruder rubbed her throat, trying to make sense of her discovery and ignore the look of triumph on Scissorman's face. He casually shifted his hips, reminding Alyssa that to her shame, they were still joined and she bit her lip against the feeling.

"How did you do it, by the way?' Ralph asked with a sneer "Bring me back, that is…" Alyssa shook her head.

"I don't know…" She whispered. According to her mother's journals, there were accounts of some Ruders having Familiars, the cleansed souls of those once possessed by Entities, as companions. However, the art of creating Familiars was lost and as far as Alyssa could tell, Ralph still behaved as if he held an Entity.

_Even so, could he be a Familiar? __**My **__Familiar? How ridiculous… _Alyssa almost laughed at the fact, but she could think of no other possible explanation…

_Wait… _a sudden thought struck her _**my**__ seal is on his heart… What he has left of one, anyway. I control that seal… _Her eyes locked to his.

"Get off me Ralph…' She said quietly and he grinned.

"No. I'm actually rather enjoying myself." His hips shifted again, pressing himself a little deeper inside of her. Though she blushed at the feeling, Alyssa's eyes did not waver.

"Get _off_ me!" She growled, placing a hand on his chest. Ralph raised an eyebrow.

"Just what are you trying to do, little Ruder?" He purred and Alyssa almost smiled.

"You know what, Scissorman? I'm really, really sick of you…' She said, feeling her magic coil within her "now GET OFF!"

"What… ARGH!" Ralph cried and fell backwards off her, clutching at his chest. Alyssa scrambled off the bed, clutching the sheet to her naked body.

"All I have to do is touch you there…' She said as he continued to writhe in pain "And you will feel as much pain as I want you to. I've figured it out…" A small, half-smile reached her face.

_If only I'd known sooner…_

"Alyssa…' Ralph growled as he recovered, a hand fisted in the bed sheets as his pain subsided. "What have you _done_?" The Ruder looked at him icily.

"My seal, Ralph. It's all that is keeping your sham of a heart together. If I remove it, you're dead." She said and to her surprise, he began to laugh, weakly at first, but it soon became more manic.

"_Clever_ little girl. You've turned me into a damned _Familiar…_" The Scissorman said. Alyssa felt her feeling of victory slip slightly.

"How do you…?" She began but was interrupted.

"Surely you know that all Subordinates share the knowledge of their masters, Alyssa." Ralph said, managing to sit up, but swaying slightly.

"My grandfather…" She whispered and Scissorman nodded.

"Indeed… How did you do it?' He asked, his piercing gaze holding hers captive "_Why _did you do it?"

Alyssa shook her head.

"I don't have an answer to that, Ralph.' She said "Now stay out of my way."

A flash of rage showed in Scissorman's eyes for a moment before he tackled Alyssa to the bed, his hands pinning her wrists above her head.

"The way I see it, _Alyssa…_' He spat her name like an insult "Is that if you can't touch me, you have no power over me." The Ruder bared her teeth at him.

"And the way I see it, _Ralph, _is that you're going to have to get off me to kill me.' She ground out "And that's when I'll be the one to cause _you _so much pain you'll wish you'd just stayed _dead_." A smirk touched his lips at that.

"You're only human, honeybee. You'll weaken, where as I can stay like this all day and all night for as long as it takes for you to pass out, and when you wake up… _If _you wake up, you can expect to find yourself back in my delightful dungeon.' He flashed a full grin then "Honeybee, you're going to _lose."_

"_Bastard_!' Alyssa snarled at him, desperately trying to force him off "_Get OFF!_" Her legs wrapped around his waist and she used all her strength to roll over so she now straddled him. But before Alyssa could tear her hands from his and subdue him, Ralph threw her off so she fell to the floor, landing on her arm. The sickening 'snap' of it breaking sickened her, but she was thankful that the adrenaline coursing through meant the pain was lessened.

Alyssa stumbled to her feet only to be met by a stinging backhand to her right cheek. Ralph's eyes gleamed like black glass as she reeled back at the impact of his hand and he laughed manically as blood spattered the floor.

"Broken arm, honeybee? Bone's gone right through the skin…' he hissed "Go on, _look._"

Alyssa's cerulean eyes regarded him defiantly "Let's end this, Scissorman."

All too pleased to comply, Ralph gave a mocking bow, his red-tinged eyes never leaving hers.

"As you wish, _lover_."

A scream of rage burst from Alyssa's throat as his words reminded her of her violation. She flew at him, throwing a punch, but Ralph turned his head so she barely grazed his cheekbone and his fist sunk into her gut. The air rushed from her in a deep gasp and she fell to her knees. Ralph would have gained the advantage then but Alyssa grabbed his ankles and _pulled_.

Growling as she tore his balance away, Ralph managed to fist a hand in her hair. Now on his knees, he yanked her head towards his, their foreheads connecting hard. Since Scissorman had been expecting the impact, the blow was less for him than it was for the Ruder who briefly collapsed into him as she black out for a second. The moment she regained her focus she wrapped her hands around his wrist and squeezed hard so he was forced to release her hair. As soon as she was free, Alyssa rolled backwards and sprang to her feet.

A bolt of pain from her broken arm shook her all of a sudden and her knees weakened. She was amazed she managed to stay standing. However, the distraction of the pain lasted long enough for Ralph to get up and lunge at her, pushing her so she collided with the wall. He trapped her there with his body, one hand finding the back of her head and pulling it forward so his lips were against her ear.

"Give _up._' He hissed "There is _nothing _you can do, Alyssa." He felt her body tremble against his and could not help but be reminded of the way she had arched against him before.

Alyssa said nothing. Only forced her hands between him to touch his chest and send an angry, desperate bolt of pain through him. It was enough to make him leap backwards, but not nearly enough to truly hurt him. For a moment he thought she was weakening, but then she flew forward and her hands sent a stronger bolt through him, enough to make him reel backwards to the bed. His legs hit it and he fell. Before he could even think of getting back up, Alyssa's thighs pinned him by the waist, her hands resting upon his chest.

"Nothing I can do, Ralph? I could kill you…' She breathed. "I _should _kill you…"

He stared back into the cerulean depths of her eyes, his own wide with shock. The sudden, unexpected loss rocked him to the core and god… _God,_ as sick it made him feelthe way she had just defeated him made him want her. As much as it made him furious that she was going to kill him…

"Then go ON, Ruder!' He yelled "Kill me! Send me back to my sister the way they did! The way _you _should have!" The young woman looked down into his seething face and then her gaze darted away.

"I _should _kill you…" She repeated, voice a whisper.

"Do it…' Ralph's voice, almost pleading, drew her gaze back to him "Do it, Alyssa. I can't feel this… Not this way…"

"What way?" She asked softly, and when he refused to meet her eyes, harshly "_What_ way, Ralph?!"

And then Scissorman looked back at her. The hunger in his eyes told her everything she didn't want to know and everything she needed to, the tell-tale pressure of him between her thighs backing it up. Understanding flowed through her and her face set in decision.

Wordlessly, Alyssa shifted her body and then sank down onto him. Ralph's eyes closed and his head dropped back, his mouth open in a soundless moan. Alyssa continued to stare down at him, her face unchanged, her movements slow and deliberate…

Silence continued in the chamber...

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-

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**Chapter fifteen, everybody. Or 'in response to this, the author made a t-shirt with the message; 'I don't do realism.'**

**As always, completely unedited and completely up to you to point out the mistakes.**

**Also, with this most recent (smutty) development, I now have no clue how many more chapters this story will have. Great…**

**And boy, does Alyssa just have to admit that she likes her 'violation.' I know you do. You said so. XD**


	17. Encounter XVI

**AN: I know… I know… I'm a bit of a cunt. But all I can say is, well; life, blah, sorry, blah, thanks for putting up with me, blah. Warm fuzzies to everyone. Besides you're going to forgive since I'm about to make all you Ralph fangirls blush. I'm pretty certain none of you are guys, right? Not that I would judge ya.**

**Music: I could include a SOUNDTRACK for this chapter. I'm really a bit drunk as I'm writing this… Erm, Control – Puddle of Mudd, False – Devola, Taste In Men – Placebo.**

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Ralph lay with his arms around Alyssa, pulling her firmly into his side.

"What are we going to do, Ralph?" The Ruder whispered and he exhaled a resigned sigh.

"I don't know, Alyssa. Killing you is proving… More difficult than I imagined it would be." He said softly.

"I should want you to.' She murmured "I shouldn't have…" She trailed off and Ralph looked down at her.

"Why did you do it?" He asked curiously and she tensed against him. When she eventually answered him her voice was scarcely more than a whisper;

"I don't know… I really don't."

They lapsed into silence and Alyssa concentrated fiercely on the pain of her broken arm rather than the feeling of Ralph's arms encircling her. Her accelerated Ruder healing abilities would soon bind the bone back together and the pain was already starting to abate slightly.

As good as being with Ralph had felt, Alyssa knew just how very wrong it truly was and guilt curdled in her stomach as Dennis and Annette's faces drifted into her head.

_What would they think of me…?_ She thought _will I ever be able to face them again?_

"I can _feel_ you thinking.' Ralph spoke softly into her ear "What's on your mind, Alyssa?"

"Just about what we're supposed to do now.' She replied "Do we keep fighting until one of us gets lucky? We can't keep doing… This." Ralph sighed deeply.

"Well, why not look for a way to remove the seal?' He mused "Then you wouldn't have to worry about me" Alyssa's eyes snapped up to his, her expression shocked.

"But… You'd die." She said and Ralph grinned.

"And all of a sudden you care?' He lightly bit the shell of her ear, drawing a startled gasp from the Ruder "Tell me, why the concern?" Alyssa flinched.

"It's _not_ concern!' she protested "I just wouldn't feel right doing that without you fighting back." Ralph laughed.

"Is that so? Well, lucky for you that I don't intend to let you just kill me anytime soon." He said as he trailed a hand over her hip. Alyssa shoved his hand off and moved away from him.

"Stop it, Ralph. I'm serious; we can't keep doing this. It isn't… Isn't right_._"

"If you haven't noticed, honeybee, I'm not the type to _care_ about right and wrong.' Ralph told her, eyes dancing with mirth "All I've ever cared about in life is ending it for others… And of course, pleasure." He seemed to look her up and down in a way that had Alyssa's skin burning with embarrassment and she jumped out of bed, an arm self-consciously clutched around her chest.

"Maybe I should just end it' she expressed bitterly "then I could go back to Dennis and pretend this never happened."

The chill in the air was tangible and almost the second the words left her mouth, Alyssa was left wishing she could take them back.

"Oh? Your _friend_?' Ralph spat the word like an insult "The one who is nothing more than that? Tell me Alyssa, do you think he could ever make you feel even _close_ to the way I do?"

"You _bastard!" _Alyssa whirled around protesting but stopped dead when Ralph vaulted nimbly off his bed and landed with a dancer's grace in front of her. His eyes, usually so dark, flashed a dangerous crimson and his pale hands grasped her upper arms hard.

"Let- let _go_!" Alyssa attempted to tug herself from his grip but all her effort did was draw a low growl from deep in his throat. Alyssa froze for a second beneath the weight of his violent gaze before she directed a sharp kick towards his shin.

She wasn't prepared for what happened next…

Ralph deftly avoided her attack and before she could retaliate his right hand was threading into her primly cut red locks, twisting the silky strands around his fingers and yanking her head back. As she opened her mouth to scream he moved in, his own mouth falling on hers hard and demanding.

Alyssa's cerulean eyes widened and she couldn't help the gasp that tore from her lips at his harsh onslaught. He took this an invitation to dip into the warm cavern of her mouth and made a slow, sensuous sweep over her tongue with his own causing Alyssa's knees weaken.

_No_…

The leaden weight of her arms was a testament to his newfound control over her. The will to fight back was dying a slow death under Ralph's seductive treatment and Alyssa couldn't bring herself to act as he tugged her body forward to close the gap between them. Now that she was pressed flush against his hard body, Ralph's hand which had been entwined in her hair moved to brush her cheekbone and then grasp her jaw.

His kiss was hungry, his hold on her possessive. Alyssa wondered if even trying to break away from him would be any use at that point. His arm was now encircling her waist, bending her back under the near ferocious press of his mouth and she couldn't help but melt, let her body go lax in his grip, his strong arms the only thing supporting her.

There was no longer any protest from her as her lashes closed over her eyes. There was nothing left but his skin so warm against hers and his mouth, so hot, so insistent it felt as if he might consume her very soul. Ralph's knee moved home between her already parted thighs and Alyssa moaned into his mouth, her lips vibrating against his own. He drew back all of a sudden and inhaled deeply before he pressed a fleeting kiss to her neck.

"So wet, Alyssa' Ralph's voice was smug and his breath hot against her ear "And to think you were so _angry_ a moment ago."

Alyssa's eyes flew open at the cruel tone of his voice and she sucked in a deep breath "Ralph, you-"

"The next time you say my name, I hope you're _moaning _it" Ralph cut her off with his seductive whisper and a hard, sucking kiss to her pulse point as his hand on her jaw began to move down her body. Alyssa could have sworn her heart skipped a beat as his fingers slipped between her thighs from the back and began to run up and down the seam of her sex, causing her to gasp loudly.

"Ralph… _Ralph!_" She couldn't help the way his name spilled from her lips, desperate and unbridled. The former subordinate's wicked grin stretched another inch and he plunged his fingers deep inside her, causing her back to arch and a thin cry to tear from her throat.

"You are _mine_, Alyssa, do you understand?' Ralph growled, his fingers thrusting to her core over and over again "_Mine_…"

However much she wanted to deny it, the Ruder was beyond the point where she could. All she could do was respond to the rhythm of his fingers inside her and the way his arm drew her close, never letting go…

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**You don't get a long chapter. Why? Not because you don't deserve it (you do) and not because I'm lazy (I am) but because I am very, very drunk. All things considered, you're lucky I got this far.**

**Er… I heart you muchly?**

**Anyway, you can blame (or thank) ****Z Hemla **for this. Yeah, that's right; I'm calling you out on it. They happened to say something that sparked an idea in me… An idea for more dirty sexin' but an idea nonetheless! 

**RAWRGH.**


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